The heat waves will repeat themselves and become more intense, according to the UN. This warning comes in a summer when the Northern Hemisphere records peak heat waves. “These phenomena will continue to intensify and the world must prepare for more intense heat waves,” said John Nairn, expert with the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO), during a press briefing. regular in Geneva.
“The recently declared El Niño phenomenon will only amplify the occurrence and intensity of extreme heat waves,” he said. In North America, Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean basin, temperatures will exceed 40°C for several days this week, due to the intensification of the heat wave.
“One of the notable things we’ve seen is that the number of simultaneous heat waves in the Northern Hemisphere has increased sixfold since the 1980s. This trend shows no signs of diminishing,” Nairn said. . “So I’m concerned that we are not at the end of our ropes and that these waves will have a serious impact on human health and livelihoods,” he added.
Greenhouse gases, which trap heat, are the cause of climate change, experts say. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide play a crucial role in preventing some of the solar radiation from being reflected back into space. When this cycle is balanced, it keeps the planet at a livable temperature.
But an unsustainable increase in the amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere means that more heat is trapped there, creating not only global warming but also other climate anomalies. For heat waves, climate change is increasing their duration, intensity and also their geographic reach, say the scientists.
Asked what individuals can do on a personal basis to try to tackle climate change, Mr Nairn called for a fight against fossil fuels. “I think the easiest thing is to electrify everything. It’s a simple message. It’s about stopping carbon-based fuels and electrifying everything,” he said.