European nations record hottest September. Scientists say climate change driven by human activity is driving global temperatures higher.
New Delhi: European countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Poland, and Switzerland, have reported record-breaking temperatures for the month of September, declaring it their ‘hottest September on record.’ This event occurs in a year expected to be the warmest in human history due to the accelerating impacts of climate change. According to the French weather authority Meteo-France, the average September temperature in France is projected to be around 21.5 degrees Celsius, which is between 3.5 and 3.6 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 reference period.
It is worth noting that, France has consistently experienced above-average temperatures for nearly two years.
Hottest September in Germany
In Germany, the national weather office DWD reported that this month marked the hottest September since records began, with temperatures nearly 4 degrees Celsius higher than the 1961-1990 baseline.
Poland records high temperature in September than the historical average
Poland’s weather institute announced that September temperatures were 3.6 degrees Celsius higher than the historical average, making it the hottest September on record in over a century.
Austria and Switzerland recorded highest-ever average September
Austria and Switzerland, located in the Alpine region, also recorded their highest-ever average September temperatures. This came just a day after a study revealed that Swiss glaciers had lost 10 percent of their volume in two years due to extreme warming.
Weather warning in Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal’s national weather institutes issued warnings of abnormally warm temperatures expected over the weekend, with southern Spain experiencing temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius on Friday.
Scientists say human activities behind rising global temperatures
Scientists attribute rising global temperatures to climate change driven by human activities, resulting in a warming of about 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service recently stated that 2023 is likely to become the hottest year in human history.
The El Nino weather phenomenon, which warms waters in the southern Pacific and beyond, has just begun and is expected to lead to even higher temperatures.
The disruption of the Earth’s climate systems is causing an increase in extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and storms, resulting in greater loss of life and property.
World leaders Meeting
World leaders are set to convene in Dubai starting November 30 for critical UN talks aimed at mitigating the most severe impacts of climate change, including the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as outlined in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement.
Key topics of discussion will include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, phasing out polluting fossil fuels like gas, oil, and coal, climate finance, and expanding renewable energy capacity.
UN climate report lead author Francois Gemenne stressed that as long as carbon neutrality is not achieved, heat records will continue to be broken regularly, week after week, month after month, and year after year.