During the year 2023, Europe has endured a severe heat storm. Europe has not only seen extreme heat waves but also devastating floods, droughts, violent storms, and its biggest forest fires. In a recent collaborative report, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service made assumptions. All these disasters imposed billions of dollars in damages and affected more than two million people.
The heat’s health consequences were particularly dire, with both agencies naming extreme heat as one of the biggest weather and climate threats as global warming makes European summers ever hotter. The extreme effect of heat is stronger in cities, where there is less greenery to cool the air. Heat is absorbed by concrete and radiates from pavements and buildings.
It would not be wrong to say that not only humans living in Europe but also animals are victims of heat dome. Europe has seen a trend of increased population along with heat stress and 2023 was no exception, with Europe seeing a record number of extreme heat days. These words are said by Rebecca Emerton a climate scientist, she also said that there was an extreme heat stress level recorded heat stress last year.
On July 23, at the peak of the summer’s hottest heat wave, 41 percent of southern Europe was experiencing very strong or severe heat stress. A temperature of more than 46 degrees Celsius in Europe is equivalent to death. Particularly at risk from heat stress include the elderly and young, those who work outside, and persons with underlying medical disorders.
During extreme heat, it becomes imperative to avoid health hazards like heat stroke. Southern Europe and central Europe have become vulnerable due to increasing drought and heat in Europe. Energy reserves are also decreasing due to increasing heat. The supply of electricity is increasing, but despite this, the electricity system is also disrupted due to the heat.
The temperature rise is the fault of us humans, we are to blame. We light these flames. These burning flames of 2023 are burning by us and now we are not able to escape from these fires. Heat-related deaths in Europe have increased by 30% over the past 20 years. According to a survey by the World Surgical Organization of the United Nations, people in European cities are affected by extreme heat. Cities are hotter than rural areas. People living in cities are more affected by extreme heat. The city is hotter than the countryside because the roads and buildings are hotter here.
According to the EEA report, Europe will have to take precautionary measures as soon as possible to deal with the increasing Climate Change. These dangers can take the form of the worst floods, extreme heat, and forest fires. And it can lead to many deaths. All these disasters imposed billions of dollars in damages and affected more than two million people. According to a report by Copernicus, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and some parts of Turkey in July 2023 will be under the grip of extreme heat in the coming days.