22nd Eco-gen Ambassador Program- Theme Report, March 2019

Introduction

I had written a detailed report on this forum in the summer of 2018 about unusually high temperatures and related catastrophic impacts of a severe heat wave in Europe. Now I am back eight months after that report, to highlight a winter heat wave in Europe. Indeed Climate Change and Global warming are for real. It will be impractical and irresponsible to ignore the threats any more.

 

Winter Heat-wave in Europe

Europe saw some harsh and cold spells during this winter, with heavy record snowfalls in various parts of the continent. On the other hand, recent instances of unusual freak weather conditions with heat waves have caused an early onset of spring and the related warm weather is expected to continue till the end of winter.

 

The European Environmental Agency in a March report, confirmed that the number of warm days (defined by them as days warmer than 90 percent of all other days in the past) have doubled between 1960 and 2017 across the European land area.

 

Heat Waves linked to climate change and human activity

Random extremes do occur naturally and perhaps, such isolated shifts in temperature cannot be definitively and fully attributed to human activity or totally indicative of a change in the climate. However, evidence indeed points to a marked shift in climate brought on by human activity like burning of fossil fuels. Accordingly, we can safely conclude that human interference has contributed to climate change which in turn has made such weather shifts more likely as compared to how things would have been if we were not warming the planet with our fossil fuel emissions, industrial activity and other carbon emitting activities.

 

Impacts of the Heat Wave affirmed by researchers and agencies

The heat wave in what usually is the coldest month of the  year caused a fall in natural gas and electricity prices across the continent disturbing the energy markets, as also sparked wildfires in UK and Italy, raising concern about economic and ecological impact of such instances.

 

Temperatures exceeded 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time during the winter in the U.K. The moorlands in UK that burned used to be typically snow clad in this part of the year, as late as three decades ago.

 

To quote Mr. Torsten Jeworrek from the German reinsurance company, Munich RE, “Massive wildfires appear to be occurring more frequently as a result of climate change.” The company reported that global losses from natural catastrophes hit $160 billion in 2018, some $20 billion above inflation-adjusted averages in the previous three decades. The 117 weather-related events in Europe was the highest since records began in 1980.

 

In Germany, meterologists at ‘Deutscher Wetterdienst’ revised their four week forecast to now predict above normal temperatures and dryer conditions, across Germany in March. Additionally, warmer and drier weather is drying up the Rhine River, lowering the water levels.  Water tables in the river’s basin hadn’t properly re-charged from last year’s drought. Rain deficit and persistence of warm dry conditions would drastically interrupt barge traffic and transport along the otherwise busy waterway.

 

To quote Daniele Spizzichino, senior climatologist at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, “Powerful storms in the Mediterranean have been another consequence of the shifting weather patterns, with rising temperatures increasing the amount of energy and water in storms.”

 

In Austria, where I reside, I have personally witnessed a drought last summer, severely affecting agricultural output. I also saw fuel prices peaking up through the warmer than usual dry summer, as low levels of the Rhine affected fuel transport from Germany to Austria across the waterway.

 

Conclusion

Comparing extremes with historical measurements and computer models of a climate unaltered by carbon emissions, researchers have reasonably concluded that global warming and climate change are contributing to dangerous weather. Furthermore, in recent times, increasing incidences and heightened intensity of extreme weather conditions and other natural calamities, points towards climate change as the main culprit. Human-caused climate change thus stands out as a major threat to human existence and livelihood, impacting not only human and animal lives, but also causing severe economic losses.

 

Call to Action

It is already predicted that without action to tackle global warming, such extreme weather will become normal by 2050.  I do believe that it is important to first acknowledge climate change as real, so that the fast-growing field of scientific study of climate change and immediate global action in this regard can help avert serious consequences.

 

References and Sources:

https://www-bloomberg-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-03-01/winter-heatwave-in-europe-will-extend-into-middle-of-march?amp_js_v=0.1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloomberg.com%2Fnews%2Farticles%2F2019-03-01%2Fwinter-heatwave-in-europe-will-extend-into-middle-of-march

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/02/21/scotland-breaks-all-time-february-temperature-record-unusual-winter-europe-heatwave/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.353c8d4eafd3