The UK’s Meteorological Office cautioned in a new report issued Thursday that excessive heat will become more common and intense in 2022 as a result of climate change.
During an unprecedented heatwave last year, the country reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time.
“The chances of an event like this are really likely to increase rapidly”, said Mark Kendon, lead author of the State of the UK Climate 2022 report.
“The record temperature of 40.3 degrees Celsius (104.5 degrees Fahrenheit) and 2022 as a whole being a record warm year were made more likely by human-induced climate change”, the report continued.
The UK experienced a heatwave last year that led to an excessive number of fatalities, wildfires, and housing devastation, prompting the government to declare a national emergency.
According to the research, roughly one out of every four months over the last decade was among the top ten warmest ever recorded. Last month, the United Kingdom saw its warmest June on record.
Even in a moderate-emissions scenario, high temperatures would become more often, and 2022 will be deemed a ‘cool’ year by 2100, according to the report.
It also monitors how climate change is altering the life cycles of specific species in the UK, endangering natural cycles such as pollination.
“Our data show that the seasons are changing, and iconic species, from birds and bumblebees to flowers and trees, are being forced to change their patterns – they are the silent witnesses of climate change”, phenologist Fritha West said.
Concerns have been voiced regarding the country’s lack of readiness in the face of the potential of repeated harsh weather.
Experts, including the UK government’s own climate consultants, have warned that present plans to meet climate change mitigation targets are insufficient.
The Met Office report came only days after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hinted at watering down certain so-called green initiatives in response to voter opposition to extending a scheme penalizing the most polluting vehicles in a London by-election.
Friends of the Earth’s head of science, Mike Childs, said the report emphasizes the urgent need for measures that will both cut emissions and ensure we’re ready for the extreme weather we can’t now prevent.
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