London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jan 13, 2025

15,700 Deaths In Europe In 2022 Linked To Heatwaves: UN's Climate Change Report

15,700 Deaths In Europe In 2022 Linked To Heatwaves: UN's Climate Change Report

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), an agency of the United Nations, in its report said real-time data from specific locations show that levels of the three greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide - continued to increase in 2022

Record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases have led to increased incidences of droughts, floods and heatwaves on a global scale, the World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) annual report for 2022 said. At least 15,700 deaths in Europe in 2022 were linked to heatwaves.

The WMO, an agency of the United Nations, in its report said real-time data from specific locations show that levels of the three greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide - continued to increase in 2022.

Droughts, floods and heatwaves affected communities on every continent and nation including India and cost many billions of dollars, the report said. Antarctic sea ice fell to its lowest extent on record and the melting of some European glaciers was, literally, off the charts, it said.

Global mean temperatures for the past eight years have been the highest on record; in 2022, it was 1.15 degree Celsius above the 1850-1900 average.

"While greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and the climate continues to change, populations worldwide continue to be gravely impacted by extreme weather and climate events," WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement today.

"For example, in 2022, continuous drought in East Africa, record breaking rainfall in Pakistan and record-breaking heatwaves in China and Europe affected tens of millions, drove food insecurity, boosted mass migration, and cost billions of dollars in loss and damage," Mr Taalas said.

Top row: Monthly globally averaged mole fraction (measure of atmospheric concentration), from 1984 to 2021, of (a) CO2 in parts per million, (b) CH4 in parts per billion and (c) N2O in parts per billion. Bottom row: The growth rates representing increases in successive annual means of mole fractions for (d) CO2 in parts per million per year, (e) CH4 in parts per billion per year and (f) N2O in parts per billion per year.


The report said the monsoon onset in India was earlier and the withdrawal later than normal in 2022. The pre-monsoon period was also exceptionally hot in India and neighbouring Pakistan.

The extreme heat reduced grain yields and led to a number of forest fires, particularly in the hill state of Uttarakhand, the report said.

"Heatwaves in the 2022 pre-monsoon season in India and Pakistan caused a decline in crop yields. This, combined with the banning of wheat exports and restrictions on rice exports in India after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, has threatened the availability, access to and stability of staple foods within international food markets and posed high risks to countries already affected by shortages of staple foods," the WMO report said.

There was also significant flooding in India at various stages during the monsoon season, particularly in the northeast in June 2022, with over 700 deaths reported during the season from flooding and landslides, and a further 900 from lightning.

Near-surface temperature differences between 2022 and the 1991-2020 average. The map shows the median anomaly calculated from six data sets.


China had the most extensive and long-lasting heatwave since national records began, extending from mid-June to the end of August 2022, and resulting in the hottest summer on record by a margin of more than 0.5 degree Celsius. It was also the second-driest summer on record, with most of the southern half of China - apart from Guangdong province - having seasonal rainfall 20 per cent to 50 per cent below average.

Europe also experienced numerous heatwaves, with significant heatwaves occurring in each of the three summer months. During the summer, around 4,600 deaths in Spain, 4,500 in Germany, 2,800 in the UK among those aged 65 and older, 2,800 in France and 1,000 in Portugal were associated with the unusual heat, the report said. The most exceptional heatwave occurred in mid-July 2022.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Special Forces Blast Defense Ministry for Revealing Sensitive Details
Celebrity Responses to California Wildfires: Charity, Criticism, and Controversy
The Wildfires of Los Angeles: A Devastating Impact on Celebrities and California's Leadership
Tragic Loss: Teenager's Death Sparks Community Reflection in Bedford and London
UK Government Proposes Cap on Resale Ticket Prices to Combat Touts
Greenland's Future Caught in Diplomatic Crossfire Between Trump and Europe
EU Prepared to Lead Support for Ukraine Amid US Uncertainty, Says Estonian Prime Minister
Brompton E-Bike Component Diverted to UK Military Drone Production, Causes Delays
Romanian Gang Convicted of Human Trafficking and Exploitation in Dundee
Persistent Cold Snap Grips the UK: Severe Frost and Snow Disrupt Daily Life
Germany Faces Alarming Rise in Homelessness, New Report Shows
China’s Appetite for Salmon: A Game Changer in Global Seafood Markets
Russian Bots Allegedly Amplified NATO Critic Prior to Croatian Election, Researchers Reveal
Armenia Considers EU Membership Referendum Amid Strained Ties with Russia
French Finance Minister Explores Pension Reform Compromise to Secure Budget Agreement
Armenia Considers EU Referendum Amid Growing Rift with Russia
New Wildfire Ignites in Los Angeles as Region Battles Devastating Blazes
The Espionage Unraveled: A Russian Spy Network's Intricacies in the UK
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Bid to Delay Sentencing in Hush Money Case
UK Financial Markets Remain Calm Amid Rising Government Borrowing Costs
Stellantis Achieves UK Electric Vehicle Sales Mandate Amid Factory Closure
TikTok Faces Potential Ban in the United States Amid Security Concerns
Pound Plummets to 14-Month Low Amid Concerns Over UK Borrowing Costs
Tensions Rise Over Planned Pro-Palestinian March in London
Bomb Scare in Central London: Abandoned Car Sparks Panic Near Regent Street
Police Seek Suspect in Antisemitic Incident at Liverpool Street Station
Regulatory Reprimand for London Charity Over Fundraising for Israeli Soldier
The Duchess of Sussex Mourns Devastating Loss of Beloved Rescue Dog
From Chairman to Controversial Politician: Rupert Lowe's Journeys in Business and Politics
Metropolitan Police Halts Pro-Palestine March Near BBC Due to Proximity to Synagogue
Inside Warwick Hospital: A Glimpse into the NHS's Battle Against Winter Pressures
Chappell Roan: A Synth-Pop Sensation Emerges as BBC Sound Of 2025 Winner
Search Intensifies for Missing Aberdeen Sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti
Pioneering Drug Consumption Room Opens in Glasgow
Ryanair Initiates Legal Action Against Disruptive Passenger in Landmark Case
Former Brexit Negotiator Oliver Robbins Appointed Top Civil Servant at UK Foreign Office
British Hiker Found Deceased Amidst Dolomites Search: Investigation Underway
Pound Falls as UK Borrowing Costs Reach Financial Crisis Levels
Italian Journalist Cecilia Sala Released from Iranian Detention
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Faces Allegations of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Sister
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Denies Sister's Allegations of Sexual Abuse
UK Markets Under Pressure as Gilt Yields Surge
Arrest Made in Connection to Stabbing of Iranian Journalist in London
Arrest Made in Fatal Drive-By Shooting Outside London Church
Parliamentary Suspension Over Racist Remarks Highlights Tensions in UK Politics
Debate Intensifies Over Call for Child Abuse Inquiry Amidst Musk's Comments
Mark Zuckerberg's U-Turn: Moving Toward Free Speech on Facebook and Instagram, For a Change
Britain's authorities' support for pedophiles has gone insane
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has finally announced his resignation from a role he should never have held in the first place
This is what is left of the oceanfront homes in Malibu, California.
×