the 1.5 degree increase, set by the Paris Agreement, largely exceeded in Europe over the past five years according to Copernicus

The temperature increase of 1.5 degrees above the pre-industrial era, set by the Paris Agreement in 2015, has been very largely exceeded in Europe over the past five years, according to a report published Thursday, April 20 by the European Copernicus program.

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According to this report, the average temperature for Europe for the last five-year period was about 2.2 degrees above the pre-industrial era (1850-1900). Copernicus also points out that for thirty years and the beginning of the 1990s, warming has been twice the average in Europe, making this continent the most affected. Temperatures have climbed 0.5 degrees every decade. The average temperature in France is about 1.7 degrees above the pre-industrial era.

2022, the hottest year on record in Europe

The Copernicus program also recalls that the year 2022 was the second hottest year ever recorded in Europe, with 0.9 degrees warmer than the recent average between 1991 and 2020 and that last summer was the hottest never recorded in Europe, with 1.4 degrees above the recent average.

Moreover, the last eight years in the world have been the hottest on record, with an exceptional year 2022. During this year 2022, it has made almost a degree more than the last thirty years. The amount of solar radiation was the highest in forty years. “Lack of winter snow and high summer temperatures have led to record ice loss from glaciers in the Alps, equivalent to a loss of more than 5 km3 of ice”adds Copernicus.

“Alarming changes in our climate”

Still according to Copernicus, “France, Spain, Germany and Slovenia also experienced their highest summer wildfire emissions for at least 20 years, with southwestern Europe seeing some of the biggest fires never recorded in Europe”.

“The report highlights alarming changes to our climate, including the hottest summer on record in Europe… Understanding Europe’s climate dynamics is key to being able to adapt and mitigate the negative effects climate change on the continent”believes Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus service.