Stanisland Magazine

Europe is in the midst of a terrifying heatwave, and the conditions can be likely attributed to nothing other than climate change.

As Europe bakes in extreme heat, many are asking why? Europe is in the grip of an intolerable living situation thanks to its heatwave brought about by anthropogenic climatic changes and the cause is widely misinterpreted. While temperatures are as high as 46 Celsius in Sardinia, this increase is not limited to the French island. Rome, Italy is expected to see highs of 40 Celsius, and Spain is preparing to receive an unbearable 44 C.

Greece is currently battling out-of-control wildfires in rural parts of the country, and while temperatures are expected to peak today, this does not mean the danger is over. The heatwave has also brought about dry conditions which can inspire fires without the need for calefaction.

Why are temperatures higher in Europe?

The climate is traditionally relatively high in parts of Europe thanks to landlocked territories, and in Sardinia for example, average July temperatures reach approximately 30 Celsius. But when we look at how climate change impacts these measurements, these highs begin to elevate.

The greenhouse effect is the process where gases such as carbon dioxide, most commonly emitted from petroleum-based products (such as oil, car exhausts, and logging), methane (from coal mining, and agricultural practices) and nitrous oxide (caused by the combustion of fossil fuels etc) are expelled into the air from their use, trapped within the atmosphere preventing sun rays (which carry heat) from escaping.

This creates a circulatory effect, where the heat that enters the Earth cannot escape from the surface as it cyclically bounces back and forth between the atmosphere, raising global averages. This leads to greater temperatures which are magnified especially in the summer. Changes are also evident in parts of the world throughout the winter where either cold weather is absent, or extreme.

Increased averages don’t necessarily mean greater warmth is guaranteed because climate change essentially makes forecasts unpredictable, and that is why tackling it is an urgent concern.

What other places are affected by the heatwave?

Canada has also been touched by heatwaves which have induced wildfires that most recently engulfed New York City and have diluted the air quality.

In Death Valley, Arizona, the climate is expected to rocket into the mid-50s, in a place that still holds the world record for the highest-ever temperature.

In China, the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, visited on what has now been recorded as the country’s hottest-ever day on record coming in at 52.2 Celsius.

Photo by Designecologist