Climate change manager Copernicus: In 30 years this heat wave will be considered normal

He described in dark colors the future climatic conditions of the European south, which today faces waves A hot wave And extreme temperatures, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Agency, Carlo Podempo.

Speaking to SKAI and Corinna Georgiou, Mr. Bodibo spoke of a new world, warning that what today looks like sweltering heat, In about 20 to 30 years, it will be considered normalif not a “cool summer”.

Full interview

kg.: Thanks K. Buodebo for joining us as we search for more answers about severe weather. Let me start with the aggressive fires that Greece has been battling over the past few days and the Copernicus Observatory has been activated to instantly map burning areas since Monday.

Carlo Bodipo: A forest fire produces pollutants, primarily soot, which can affect air quality in surrounding areas. From the satellite, you can already see the smoke starting from the areas around Athens and moving toward the southwest of the Peloponnese. Unfortunately, we will almost certainly see more fires. The information we have so far suggests that there is a peak in risk at this time, but things are likely to improve in August.

kg.: We’ve seen China record a record high of 52.2°C, Death Valley in California could break the record of 56.5°C, a heatwave is building in southern Europe and Greece is forecasting a new, more aggressive heatwave. What the future holds.

Carlo Bodipo: This past June was the hottest month on record. After June this year, we globally had the hottest day on record in early July. We basically had two days in a row, then we had the hottest week ever, and now we’re in for the hottest part of the week. All indications are that July may be the warmest month on record. It’s a new world we live in, we’re in uncharted territory and unfortunately this isn’t something we’re going to do once and for all. As the climate warms, we expect this type of heat wave to become more common, more intense, and longer lasting.

kg.: Are heat waves the new normal?

Carlo Bodipo: If we don’t focus on this year and look to the future, what today looks like a sweltering heat wave, and what we are experiencing now, in about 20-30 years we will be remembered as a relatively normal summer, if not cool. So it’s a new normal in the sense that this is the beginning of a world that will continue to warm constantly.

kg.: 48.8°C is a record temperature held by Sicily since 2021 and is the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe. Do you think we might see this record broken?

Carlo Bodipo: Taking into account the information we have so far, it is very likely that it will reach similar levels, so it is possible that this level will be broken. Temperature extremes will rise across Europe, not only in Greece, but also in Italy, Spain and Germany, where the temperature will rise in the future. If you look at the climate problem, it is a problem that accumulates over time. A Chinese proverb comes to mind that “When is the best time to plant a tree?” And the answer is “yesterday”. “What’s the next best time to plant a tree? It’s today!”