According to the European Union’s Climate Change Service, this was the (yet) worst climate year for our planet – and an even worse one for Europe.
Copernicus’ latest reportPublished on Tuesday, paints a terrifying picture that is now all too familiar.
Last year was the fifth warmest on record globally and the second warmest for Europe, where temperatures have increased more than double the global average in the last 30 years.
the continent also experienced its hottest summerMarked by devastating heat waves and wildfires, which destroyed more than 800,000 hectares of land and caused an increase in carbon emissions.
extended dry Crop yields have been affected, with little hope of a quick recovery. Unusually warm winters may be good for consumer energy bills, but without enough snow to restore rivers’ water supplies this winter, farmers fear the effects of last year’s drought could extend into 2023.
combination of adverse weather conditions and the collapse of war in ukraine creating the perfect storm for global food crisisMillions of people are facing starvation. Prices of core commodities such as wheat and vegetable oil, which had already experienced volatility in previous years, soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, although early signs suggest the crisis may be starting to subside.
Here’s Europe’s hot, long, dry 2022 in eight charts and maps.