2022 was the fifth warmest year ever recorded globally and the second hottest ever recorded in Europe, the European Union’s Copernicus Global Climate report has found.
The report, which was released today (Tuesday, January 10), also shows that last summer broke 2021’s record to become the hottest ever recorded in Europe, with “several prolonged and intense heatwaves” across the continent.
Following this, the third warmest autumn in Europe was also recorded, with temperatures coming very close to those in the warmest years which were 2020 and 2006.
These unusually warm seasons combined with a lack of rain and dry soils resulted in a number of negative impacts on agricultural and food systems, river transport and energy management, according to the report.
“2022 was yet another year of climate extremes across Europe and globally. These events highlight that we are already experiencing the devastating consequences of our warming world.
“The latest 2022 climate highlights provide clear evidence that avoiding the worst consequences will require society to both urgently reduce carbon emissions and swiftly adapt to the changing climate,” deputy director of the service Samantha Burgess stated.
In polar regions, a number of “intense warm periods” were also recorded, with temperatures well above average. The Vostok station in east Antartica recorded its warmest temperature in 65 years at -17.7°.
The Antartic also experienced unusually low sea-ice conditions throughout 2022 according to the report, with sea ice extents reaching record or near-record lows in six months of the year.
Reacting to the report, Amnesty International’s climate policy advisor Chiara Liguori said the findings lay the “deepening severity of the climate crisis” bare.
She slammed the unwillingness of states to commit to a rapid phase out of fossil fuels at COP27, which she said was “a collective failure to safeguard human rights and the universal entitlement to a clean, healthy and safe environment”.
“We cannot afford to let another year to go by without changing course.
“2023 must be the point at which emissions finally peak, and states make a strong international commitment to phase out fossil fuels.
“All states, but particularly the highest carbon emitters, both currently and historically, must urgently implement measures to help break the global addiction to fossil fuels that it is devastating our world,” she concluded.