Climate change made both the devastating drought in the Horn of Africa and the record April temperatures in the Western Mediterranean at least 100 times more likely, according to two new scientific reports. The studies add to the growing weight of evidence about the huge socio-economic impact of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, as highlighted by WMO’s State of the Global Climate reports.
The ongoing volcanic eruption at Mauna Loa in Hawaii has caused the Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) data series to be temporarily interrupted since November 29. But this does not mean that atmospheric CO2 monitoring has not been interrupted.
The US National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), apart from Mauna Loa, manages
...It was one of the three warmest Julys on record, with prolonged and intense heatwaves affecting parts of Europe. Antarctic sea ice was the lowest for July on record, according to Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Drought is one of the most destructive natural disasters in terms of impacts on agriculture and food security, ecosystems, human health and water resources. Exacerbated by land degradation and climate change, droughts are increasing in frequency and severity, up 29% since 2000, with 55 million people affected every year.
An unusually early and intense heatwave spread up from North Africa through Europe ahead of the Summer Solstice, bringing temperatures more typical of those witnessed in July or August. In some parts of Spain and France, temperatures are more than 10°C higher than the average for this time of year, breaking many monthly records. This is combined with drought in many parts of Europe.
