The rate of climate warming in Europe since the 1980s is faster than the global average, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said Monday.
“Since the 1980s, the rate of warming in Europe has been twice the global average, with far-reaching effects on the region’s socio-economic structure and ecosystems,” the WMO said in a press release for its State of the Climate in Europe 2022 report.
It is noted that the air temperature in Europe last year was about 2.3 degrees Celsius above the average pre-industrial level (1850-1900), which is used as a baseline under the Paris Agreement on Climate.
At the same time, the report said, for the first time in the EU, the amount of energy produced by renewable sources exceeded that produced by natural gas.
“For the first time in the EU, more electricity was produced from wind and solar than from natural gas,” said WMO Secretary General Professor Petteri Taalas.
The study also indicated that last year “sea surface temperatures in Europe reached new highs, accompanied by sea heat waves,” and there was “unprecedented melting of glaciers.”
According to the report, Europe had its warmest summer on record in 2022.
