In a sobering revelation, the EU’s Copernicus climate monitoring service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) jointly declared on Monday that Europe is increasingly succumbing to heatwaves so severe that the human body struggles to cope, an alarming consequence of climate change-induced rising temperatures.
The report, delving into Europe’s climate dynamics, shed light on the unprecedented conditions witnessed last year, notably a July heatwave that engulfed 41 percent of southern Europe in strong, very strong, or extreme heat stress – marking the largest area in European history to experience such intense conditions in a single day.
The perils of extreme heat are particularly pronounced for outdoor laborers, the elderly, and individuals grappling with pre-existing health conditions like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Tragically, parts of Italy witnessed a staggering 7 percent surge in deaths compared to the norm last July, with victims encompassing individuals like a 44-year-old man who tragically collapsed and died while painting road markings in the northern town of Lodi.
Heat stress, a metric gauging the impact of environmental conditions on the human body, amalgamates factors such as temperature, humidity, and physiological responses to ascertain the “feels like” temperature. Portions of Spain, France, Italy, and Greece endured up to ten days of extreme heat stress in 2023, characterized by a “feels like” temperature surpassing 46 degrees Celsius, prompting urgent measures to mitigate heat-related ailments like heat stroke.
Alarmingly, deaths attributed to heat have surged by approximately 30 percent across Europe over the past two decades, underscoring the pressing need for governments to fortify healthcare systems in anticipation of climate change impacts. Additionally, calls have been made for EU regulations to safeguard outdoor workers from the ravages of extreme heat.
Last year emerged as the hottest on record globally, with Europe emerging as the continent experiencing the most rapid rate of warming. Greenhouse gas emissions emerged as the primary catalyst behind the unprecedented heatwaves witnessed, compounded by factors like the El Niño weather pattern.
The repercussions of intensified heatwaves extended beyond scorching temperatures, fueling a slew of extreme weather events such as devastating floods. Slovenia grappled with widespread flooding affecting 1.5 million people, while Greece bore the brunt of the EU’s largest wildfire on record, consuming an area twice the size of Athens. Furthermore, Alpine glaciers witnessed a staggering 10 percent reduction in their remaining volume during the years 2022 and 2023.
Reflecting on the tumultuous events of 2023, Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, remarked that certain occurrences had caught the scientific community off guard due to their intensity, rapid onset, extensive reach, and prolonged duration, underscoring the imperative for proactive measures to confront the escalating climate crisis.
