Earth Day: Climate Change Continued Advance In 2022

Earth Day: Droughts, floods, and heat waves disturbed populations on every continent and cost many billions of dollars in 2022.

In 2022, from mountain peaks to ocean depths, a constant advancement in climate change was visible, revealed report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

For global temperature, the years 2015-2022 were the eight warmest on //record despite the cooling impact of a La NiAa event for the past three years. Melting of glaciers and sea level rise, which again reached record levels in 2022, will continue to up to thousands of years.

Health Effects of Global Warming/What is Global Warming?
Greenhouse effect causes excessive heat to build up in the earth’s atmosphere causing global warming and affects the environment and health.

‘Planetary scale alterations on land, in the ocean and atmosphere are triggered by record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases: State of the Global Climate 2022 Report. ’

"While greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and the climate continues to change, populations worldwide continue to be gravely impacted by extreme weather and climate events. For example, in 2022, continuous drought in East Africa, record breaking rainfall in Pakistan and record-breaking heatwaves in China and Europe affected tens of millions, drove food insecurity, boosted mass migration, and cost billions of dollars in loss and damage," said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

The State of Climate Change in 2022

"However, collaboration amongst UN agencies has proven to be very effective in addressing humanitarian impacts induced by extreme weather and climate events, especially in reducing associated mortality and economic losses. The UN Early Warnings for All Initiative aims to fill the existing capacity gap to ensure that every person on earth is covered by early warning services. At the moment about one hundred countries do not have adequate weather services in place. Achieving this ambitious task requires improvement of observation networks, investments in early warning, hydrological and climate service capacities," he said.

The new WMO report is accompanied by a story map, which provides information for policy makers on how the climate change indicators are playing out, and which also shows how improved technology makes the transition to renewable energy cheaper and more accessible than ever.

In addition to climate indicators, the report focuses on impacts. Rising undernourishment has been exacerbated by the compounded effects of hydrometeorological hazards and COVID-19, as well as of protracted conflicts and violence.

Quiz on Global Warming
The International Conference on Global Warming (GCGW-2012) will be held in Istanbul, Turkey on July 8-12, 2012. Take this quiz to learn what causes global warming, how it can affect your health, and what can be your contribution to contain it.

Throughout the year, hazardous climate and weather-related events drove new population displacement and worsened conditions for many of the 95 million people already living in displacement at the beginning of the year, according to the report.

The report also puts a spotlight on ecosystems and the environment and shows how climate change is affecting recurring events in nature, such as when trees blossom, or birds migrate.

Is Climate Change Linked to Omega-3 Fatty Acids Production
Accelerated sea-level rise is associated with a temperature-linked reduction in the production of essential omega-3 fatty acids.

The WMO State of the Global Climate report was released ahead of Earth Day 2023. Its key findings echo the message of UN Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres for Earth Day.

"We have the tools, the knowledge, and the solutions. But we must pick up the pace. We need accelerated climate action with deeper, faster emissions cuts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius. We also need massively scaled-up investments in adaptation and resilience, particularly for the most vulnerable countries and communities who have done the least to cause the crisis," said Guterres.

Climate Change Doubles Risk of Tropical Cyclones
Human-caused climate change could drive intense tropical cyclones twice as frequent by the middle of the century.

The WMO report follows the release of the State of the Climate in Europe report by the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. It complements the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment report, which includes data up to 2020.

Dozens of experts contribute to the report, including National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and Global Data and Analysis Centers, as well as Regional Climate Centres, the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), the Global Cryosphere Watch and Copernicus Climate Change Service operated by ECMWF.

United Nations partners include the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Source-IANS