Climate change is exacerbating the effects of extreme weather with the past 12 months seeing the global average temperature 1.63C higher than pre-industrial levels.
May marked the Earth’s 12th consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures, with more heat waves expected this summer.
“It is shocking but not surprising that we have reached this 12-month streak,” Copernicus’ director Carlo Buontempo said in a statement. “We are living in unprecedented times, but we also have unprecedented skill in monitoring the climate and this can help inform our actions.” California and the US Southwest are looking at their first major heat wave this week with temperatures expected to breach 40C. More blistering days are expected later in June. High temperatures in Europe also mean the threat of wildfires is reaching extreme levels in Greece and Spain, with risks also spreading to the French Riviera.
India has blown past 50C last month with nearly 100 deaths recorded in the last few days in one of the worst-affected states. The UK beat the 2008 record for the hottest May with average temperatures set to rise in June as well. ADVERTISEMENT CONTINUE READING BELOW
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Africa: From Climate Vulnerable to Climate LeaderPress Release - Recent floods in Kenya have made headlines all over the world. Across the country and around the region, these floods have claimed over 200 lives, displaced 150,000 people, and turned classrooms into emergency shelters. They offer a stark reminder of the profound impact climate change is already having across Africa.
Read more »
TotalEnergies African legacy: 100 years of environmental destructionClimate justice groups are leading the fight against those causing harm to our environment and climate
Read more »
Africa: Bringing the World's Food Production in Line With Global Climate GoalsFood systems--how we grow, transport, prepare, and dispose of the food we eat--are responsible for roughly one-third of all global greenhouse gas emissions. And those gases are changing the climate, which in turn is disrupting the food supply. It would seem to be a classic vicious circle.
Read more »
Experts attribute floods in Brazil to climate change - SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world,Experts say the floods result from the combined impact of geographical factors and climate change.
Read more »
World's island states meet to confront climate, fiscal challengesExtremely vulnerable to climate change, not rich enough to stop it on their own, and not poor enough to depend on aid and development financing: the world's small island countries are bracing for both fiscal and climate shocks.
Read more »
Africa: To Tackle Climate Crisis, the World Bank Must Stop Financing Industrial LivestockAnalysis - Last week, the World Bank Group released a new report that highlights the urgent need to drastically reduce GHG emissions to address the climate crisis and calls on countries to act. However, while the World Bank's acknowledgment of the damaging climate impacts of industrial agriculture is a crucial step forward, it's simply not enough.
Read more »