The summer of 2022 was the hottest in Europe since records began. Drought levels were also record-breaking, as a report from the EU's Copernicus Earth observation programme shows.

Last year was full of negative records with regard to climate change. In 2022, human-caused greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached new highs, and the global average temperature was, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), 1.15 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Persistent periods of drought, widespread wildfires and the highest sea temperatures ever recorded were all observed. The situation was even more dramatic for Europe, as a new report from the European Earth observation programme Copernicus now sets out in detail.

Europe experienced its second warmest year in 2022 – and the hottest summer in recorded history: the summer months were 1.4 degrees above average, surpassing the previous record summer of 2021 by almost half a degree, according to the report published early on Thursday by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, which is part of the EU Space Programme.

Read more at: derstandard.at