The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service announced on Tuesday that this year was the hottest summer in Europe’s history.
The record summer heat comes amid growing warnings from climatologists that the time to prevent the worst effects of climate change is running out.
What did the climate change monitor say?
Copernicus found that the average temperature from June to August this year was almost 1 degree Celsius higher than the average temperature of 1991-2020.
The service said it had been the warmest summer in its database since 1950.
?August #temperature highlights from the #CopernicusClimate Change Service #C3S:
?️Globally, August 2021 was, with August 2017, the joint third warmest on record.
?️For Europe, August 2021 was near 1991-2020 average but with contrasting conditions.
➡️ https://t.co/zLlp5oIeUv pic.twitter.com/McKQlxQ8hp— Copernicus ECMWF (@CopernicusECMWF) September 7, 2021
Temperatures were particularly severe in Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Greece, Turkey and Spain.
In the Italian region of Sicily in August, the temperature was 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit), which is the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe.
The service said that in Eastern Europe the temperature in August was above average, and in Northern Europe the temperature was generally below average.
Extreme weather is hitting Europe
The publication of the data came after this summer, Europe witnessed many extreme weather events.
Forest fires raged not only in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Spain amid the scorching heat, but also in France, Portugal and Russia.
Germany, Belgium and several other European countries have experienced the worst floods in decades, killing a total of 242 people.
Scientists believe that the cause of these extreme weather events is the phenomenon of global warming.
A recent report showed that glaciers in southern Europe on the Pyrenees between Spain and France will shrink to icebergs in the coming decades due to the effects of climate change.
The forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference 2021 (COP26), at which world leaders are expected to discuss progress in the fight against global warming, will be held from 31 October to 12 November in Scotland.
Sources: Reuters, AP, dpa, DW