On Monday 22 April, International Earth Day, Copernicus, the EU’s Climate Change Service, and the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published their annual report on the climate in Europe for the 2023.
This document confirms that this continent is warming the fastest, with temperatures rising around twice as fast as the global average. The three hottest years on record in Europe have all occurred since 2020.
The report notes a record number of “extreme heat stress days” and heat waves, which have a direct impact on public health and worsen environmental conditions.
In fact, heat-related mortality has increased by around 30% over the last 20 years, and it is estimated that heat-related deaths have increased in 94% of the European regions monitored.
High temperatures have also intensified the frequency and severity of droughts, floods and forest fires. Rainfall was 7% higher than average.
Data published by Copernicus: https://aeur.eu/f/bw5 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)