A new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shows that Europe It is warming faster than any other continent in the world. Since 1991, Europe’s temperature has risen more than twice as fast as the global average. This has brought extreme weather fluctuations, from devastating floods to deadly heat waves.
Despite Europe having more resources than the rest of the world to deal with climate change, this has unpleasant consequences. For example, three out of four people in Europe have access to early warning systems for climate change-intensified disasters. In comparison, the United Nations recently announced that half of the world lacks early warning systems.
The rate of warming of Europe
While the entire planet is warming, in certain parts of the world these changes are occurring more rapidly. Since the mid-1800s, when countries began to pollute the atmosphere by burning large amounts of fossil fuels, the average global temperature has risen by 1.2 degrees Celsius.
But Europe has warmed by about 2 degrees on average compared to pre-industrial times. According to the WMO, Europe’s temperature has risen by about 0.5 degrees Celsius per decade since 1991. Climate change has also increased the risk of flooding in western Europe, and floods have killed at least 220 people in Germany and Belgium.
WMO Secretary General Petri Talas said in a press release:
“Europe provides a vivid picture of a warming world and reminds us that even the most well-prepared societies are not immune to the impacts of climate events.”
According to the WMO, Europe is on track to continue warming at a faster rate than the rest of the world. One of the most important reasons for this is the Arctic, which includes parts of the continent and is warming almost four times faster than the Earth.
Finally, the report notes that the EU has successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 31% between 1990 and 2020. But plans to further reduce pollution must be implemented more quickly to prevent more severe climate change.
