Last year was Europe’s hottest on record, even without El Nino: scientists

By Kate Abnett

 

FILE PHOTO: People enjoy the beach on a hot and sunny summer day in Nice, France, August 14, 2019. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard -/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - Last year was the hottest on record in Europe, extending a run of exceptionally warm years driven by record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, according to a new study released on Earth Day on Wednesday.

 

Europe’s average annual temperature hit a record high last year, exceeding the previous hottest years on record, which were 2014, 2015 and 2018, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), said in its annual “European State of the Climate” report.

 

Of Europe’s 12 warmest years on record, 11 have occurred since 2000, the report found.

 

“This warming trend is now unequivocal anywhere on the planet. And as a consequence of that, the frequency of these record breaking events is going up,” C3S director Carlo Buontempo told Reuters.

 

This year looks likely continue the warming trend. Copernicus data from Dec. 2019-Feb. 2020 showed that Europe experienced its warmest winter on record.

 

The scientists said last year’s record temperatures came even though there was no El Nino – a weather pattern that typically leads to higher temperatures.

 

“This made the record-breaking events even more extraordinary,” Buontempo said.

 

Rather, high pressure weather events helped trigger the scorching heatwaves seen last June and July, when countries including France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands recorded their highest ever temperatures.

 

The scientists said these high pressure events are likely to become more severe, as the world warms.

 

Concentrations of planet warming gases in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide and methane, climbed in 2019 and are now at levels not seen on the Earth for millions of years, the scientists said.

 

The 27-country EU plans to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, a pathway that will require transformational change in many sectors of the economy.

 

The Paris accord aims to cap global warming at “well below” 2 degree Celius and as close as possible to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

 

Global average temperatures have already increased roughly 1.1C since pre-industrial times, the scientists said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-22

 

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All this heat in Europe means that the Europeans don't need their "sunshine-fix" in Thailand.

 

Another problem for the tourist industry here.

 

- Well, maybe somebody come here to "fix" something else ????

Wow, nobody seems interested. I guess it's hard to sell climate change when there is a virus. 

2 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

Wow, nobody seems interested. I guess it's hard to sell climate change when there is a virus. 

It just got easier to point out the dangers of ignoring science.

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

It just got easier to point out the dangers of ignoring science.

Well nobody is driving or flying so everything should be hunky dory. Temps will be back to normal in no time. 

37 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Well nobody is driving or flying so everything should be hunky dory. Temps will be back to normal in no time. 

The vegetarians are the biggest threat to the ozone.

More tea vicar? 

Buy more. Work harder. Borrow more. Spend spend spend. Let’s murder the planet! Hey! I say, bring on the viruses. We need a reality check. Mad clown in the White House wants business at any cost. Ran away from the Paris agreement. Obama got 196 nations to conform to climate change. But a Clown wants us to spend spend spend so his real base , the mega rich, get richer. And in the bargain, factories are spewing out pollution . The rich have a very simple trick. Get the masses to work more, borrow more and spend like drunken sailors.. 

Hey there’s one bright spot the European lady’s will be wearing even less!!

11 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

Well nobody is driving or flying so everything should be hunky dory. Temps will be back to normal in no time. 

Again showing your ignorance- although I know, you meant to be funny!

A few month of LESS driving and flying might turn things around in the heads of science- deniers!

Us adults know, that this is far from even remotely enough!

In rural Khampaeng Phet province yesterday morning at 7am it was 26.4C, By 2pm it was 41.2C. I went for my siesta about 2:30 and just after 3 the very strong winds started with thunder and lightning in the distance. Very little real rain though. By 5pm it was down to 28,3C. A very odd day.

 

Today it was 28.2C at 7am and 38.7C at 1pm.