‘Frightening’: record-busting heat and drought hit Europe in 2022

(The Guardian, 20 Apr 2023) Continent set for further drought in 2023, scientists say, as unstoppable impacts of climate crisis mount.

The climate crisis had “frightening” impacts in Europe last year, with heatwaves killing more than 20,000 people and drought withering crops, an EU report has found.

Its writers said drought was already baked in for many farmers in 2023. The only way to limit the rising damages of global heating was rapidly to cut carbon emissions, they said.

The report, from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), said widespread heatwaves had led to Europe suffering its hottest summer on record in 2022, by a large margin. These would have been virtually impossible without global heating and had led to many premature deaths.

People in southern Europe endured 70-100 days of heat stress, where the temperature felt like at least 32C, accounting for wind and other factors. In the UK, temperatures passed 40C for the first time.

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The Guardian, 20 Apr 2023: ‘Frightening’: record-busting heat and drought hit Europe in 2022