A few days ago, a Swiss women’s group sued the court, claiming that the government did nothing to combat warming and allowed extreme weather to harm their health. They finally won the case at the European Court of Human Rights. It is expected that this ruling may affect climate policies in most parts of Europe. Because most European governments are signatories to the European Convention on Human Rights.The people’s protests are well-founded. The latest report points out that Europe is the continent with the fastest rising temperature on the earth, and the number of people dying from extreme weather has increased in the past 20 years. 30%.
According to a joint report by two international climate monitoring organizations, due to man-made climate change, temperatures in Europe are rising at about twice the global average, making Europe the fastest-warming continent on earth. Rising temperatures continue to exacerbate heat waves, wildfires, droughts, floods and melting glaciers.
Switzerland’s ice volume drops by 10% in two years
Switzerland is the country with the most glaciers in Europe. A study by the Swiss Academy of Sciences pointed out that the melting of Swiss glaciers has accelerated sharply. After high temperatures in summer and reduced snowfall in winter, the amount of ice has decreased in just two years. 10%,2022 Annual glacier volume decline 6%,2023 decline again 4%the ice loss in two years is equivalent to 1960~1990 Total annual loss. Two consecutive years of extreme weather have caused glacier tongues to collapse and many smaller glaciers to disappear. Scientists say the “altitude zero line” has risen to 5.300 meters, which means that all Swiss Alpine peaks are facing temperatures above freezing.
A future of disaster and death
Average temperatures across continental Europe over the past five years have been higher than pre-industrial times 2.3°Cis the global average temperature 1.3°C double.2023 Temperatures in parts of Europe are warmer than before industrialization 2.6°Cwarmer than average temperatures in the Alps 2.3°C.Last year, the body temperature was higher than 46°C The number of days of “extreme heat stress” hit a record high.
Copernicus scientists said,2023 Europe experienced its largest wildfires on record, its wettest year, severe marine heatwaves and widespread devastating flooding.arrive 2023 In 2017, European humidity was about 10% higher than the 30-year average 7%, one-third of the river network exceeded the “high” flood threshold, and one-sixth reached “severe”. Warm air holds more moisture, leading to more extreme storms, but climate change is complex. Moisture and moisture do not make it rainier, but move closer to extremes.
The effects of heat waves are more directly visible.Deaths from hot weather rising in Europe over 20 years, report finds 30%although not listed 2023 Annual heat death toll, but scientists estimate 2022 Increase in annual deaths 7 Thousands of people. A climate scientist at Imperial College London who was not involved in the study said,2023 The annual number of heat-related deaths is likely to be higher, and for many, the extra heat from fossil fuel emissions could be the difference between life and death.
In addition to highlighting the damage caused by extreme weather conditions, scientists also pointed to the problem of record-breaking electricity generation from renewable energy sources.2023 Year 43% Electricity comes from renewable sources, up from the previous year 36%,It warns that if humans continue to burn oil, gas and coal, heat waves will get hotter and vulnerable people will continue to die.
(First image source: Flickr/Glenn Beltz CC BY 2.0)
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