In a stark reminder of the ongoing impact of human-induced climate change, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued a warning on Friday, underscoring that the world is witnessing a shift in weather patterns. Heat waves are currently sweeping through various regions globally, and these events, fuelled by climate change, are now being termed the “new normal.”
Clare Nullis, the spokesperson for the weather agency, revealed that heat warnings have been sounded by numerous weather services across Europe. Countries such as France, Germany, Poland, and Switzerland are grappling with high temperatures. Meanwhile, parts of the Middle East are bracing for temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, and Japan is in the midst of a record-breaking heat wave.
EVIDENCE OF WEATHER EXTREMES
The impact of such weather extremes is evident in the proliferation of wildfires. Nullis emphasized the massive evacuations and devastation witnessed during the recent wildfires in Tenerife, Spain’s Canary Islands. This scenario has become disturbingly familiar this summer, she noted.
Canada is also reeling under the weight of an unprecedented wildfire season, with over 600 uncontrollable fires across the country. Even areas near the Arctic Circle, like Yellowknife, have faced mass evacuations due to encroaching blazes. British Columbia saw record-breaking temperatures, including a high of 42.2 degrees Celsius in Lytton.
Hurricane Hilary, a major category four hurricane off Mexico’s Pacific Coast, has rapidly intensified due to warm ocean surface temperatures. Mexico’s coastal regions are bracing for sustained winds of up to 220 kilometres per hour, accompanied by heavy rainfall. This increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heat waves and heavy precipitation, are attributed with “high confidence” to human-induced climate change caused by greenhouse emissions, according to WMO climate expert Alvaro Silva.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
WMO also highlighted the dire consequences faced by the southwest Pacific due to climate change. Rising sea levels threaten low-lying islands, and escalating ocean heat and acidification have ravaged marine ecosystems. The region will grapple with the El Niño climate pattern this year, which is expected to bring elevated temperatures, disruptive weather, and more instances of marine heat waves and coral bleaching.
The southwest Pacific’s agriculture sector is severely affected by climate-related disasters, making the resilience of food production a top priority. WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas emphasized the importance of early warning systems as a crucial tool for reducing climate disaster damage. Such systems empower individuals to make informed decisions in the face of growing risks. Sea-level rise rates in the region exceed global averages, and ocean warming contributes significantly to observed sea-level rise through thermal expansion of seawater, as revealed in the WMO report.
