Highest temperature ever recoded in Europe - Italy today

[54321nought]

yet to be confirmed, but if this is right,

The Italian island of Sicily may have registered the hottest temperature ever recorded in Europe, 48.8C (119.8F).

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58130893

No doubt the usual suspects will roll up saying this is all totally natural, and nothing to do with human impact on the planet

But I think most of us realise, we need to act decisively, and fast.

I am emailing my MP again, tonight, at ask what immediate actions the government are taking

“Ever recorded” and how far back do these records go? Hmmmm
I see from article it looks like highest recorded per the WMO which has only existed since 1957.

So yeah, know for a fact Italy was warmer in the 13th C than it is now...and with no air con invented yet. How did they survive?

.

But I think most of us realise, we need to act decisively, and fast. I am emailing my MP again, tonight, at ask what immediate actions the government are taking

To do what? What should the U.K. government do about it being hotter one summer day in August in Italy than it was the summer of 1977 in Greece? How exactly is emailing your MP going to do anything except increase your carbon footprint?

I think the OP is rightly concerned about climate change.

The government could plan a proper retrofit initiative (which we've all been for since the Green Homes Grant fiasco) to help us change our homes to use less energy and thus cause less carbon emissions. This would address the 40% of UK carbon emissions from housing that is contributing to climate change.

The govt could also support developing countries to do likewise.

Any other faux questions or sarcasm?

@PlanDeRaccordement

“Ever recorded” and how far back do these records go? Hmmmm I see from article it looks like highest recorded per the WMO which has only existed since 1957.

So yeah, know for a fact Italy was warmer in the 13th C than it is now...and with no air con invented yet. How did they survive?

.

common "false news" that the thirteenth century was warmer than now - in fact it wasn't. There was a drop in volcanic activity and an increase in solar activity, increasing global temperatures.

But not as much as they are increased now.

And these variations in volcanic activity and solar activity are natural, and cause variations at any time.

They are currently DEPRESSING global temperatures, but could at any point swing the other way, and increase them, compounding the damage being done by humans and making the situation much worse.

And yes, far far beyond the 13 th century, there have been times when the Earth has got warmer than it is now.

As to the question, how did "they" survive? (not humans, as it was pre-human)

The answer is quite simply - they didn't. And nor will we

@PlanDeRaccordement

“Ever recorded” and how far back do these records go? Hmmmm I see from article it looks like highest recorded per the WMO which has only existed since 1957.

So yeah, know for a fact Italy was warmer in the 13th C than it is now...and with no air con invented yet. How did they survive?

.

so yes, todays temperatures are the highest EVER RECORDED in Europe, most likely going back to before there was a geological Europe

I'm sure your mother has thought of something and has acted accordingly

Mother? Should be 'MP'!!!

Did he/she reply yet?

Sat at neighbouring restaurant table to some Sicillians yesterday. Living and working here. They became teary eyed/shocked looking when talking about it. Very worried for family and danger of further wildfires.
All very very worrying.

How the fuck are people still managing to dismiss climate change as just another scare story?

Are they in denial or just incredibly stupid?

Seems that heatwave is headed North ...

When I used to live in Cyprus on more than one occasion it was reported the temperature was 50c - were the forecasters incorrect each time it happened or are temperatures not always recorded I wonder? Not dismissing anything but remember it clearly as obviously it's a talking point when you're melting living in it.

live very good point. I was once in Seville and it was apparently 49-50 heatwave on two of the days. Pretty sure I took photos of the outside temp things. Hmm

common "false news" that the thirteenth century was warmer than now - in fact it wasn't.

In fact, it was warmer than present. It’s when the Vikings settled Greenland and Northern Canada, but then later had to abandon many settlements when temperatures cooled back down. It’s when we had many vineyards in Britain...which then disappeared during cooling period and are only recently reappearing. Look up Medieval Warm Period. Here is a Science Direct link to start you off on reading the thousands of research papers on it:
www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/medieval-warm-period

As to the question, how did "they" survive? (not humans, as it was pre-human)

You’re an idiot if you think 13 C humans were “pre human” they weren’t. Humans have been the current species they are for 300,000yrs and actually it was climate change that started their migrations out of Africa where they then interbred and replaced earlier human species such as the Neanderthals.

@ezrascatcus

How the fuck are people still managing to dismiss climate change as just another scare story?

Are they in denial or just incredibly stupid?

I don’t dismiss climate change. It’s real alright and will continue to affect humanity and civilisations as it always has in the past. But I do object to it being presented as a scare story, which most certainly is how it is being communicated to the masses. Language like “code red” and “last chance for humanity” and “we face extinction” are scare mongering and unhelpful. Why? Because fear paralyses more than it motivates.

I was in Paris when it hit 42 degrees a few years back, I can't imagine adding another 7 degrees on top of that.

Interestingly I have felt fear at recent reports and headlines but it has kind of galvanised me to do more than the basics now. I assume many of us have spent years knowing we have a problem and doing various things but I’ve found it useful to have been jolted into reality. I think !

You’re an idiot if you think 13 C humans were “pre human” they weren’t.

That's not what she said. The context of that was And yes, far far beyond the 13 th century, there have been times when the Earth has got warmer than it is now.

You're generally not an idiot but making snippy comments from a misreading isn't exactly clever or liable to enhance your credibility.

@54321nought
so yes, todays temperatures are the highest EVER RECORDED in Europe, most likely going back to before there was a geological Europe

Bullshit. I looked up the source of the article’s data and it’s the highest recorded since the WMO formed in 1957. So highest temperature in Europe since 1957, breaking a 1977 record. Of course Turkey which is actually north of Sicily in latitude regularly sees temperatures that high but due to a silly line on a map, it’s not considered part of Europe.....

@ErrolTheDragon

You’re an idiot if you think 13 C humans were “pre human” they weren’t.

That's not what she said. The context of that was And yes, far far beyond the 13 th century, there have been times when the Earth has got warmer than it is now.

You're generally not an idiot but making snippy comments from a misreading isn't exactly clever or liable to enhance your credibility.

Yes it was because she was directly responding to my question “how did they survive” in which they referred to 13th C humans.

If anyone has misread things, she has.

As to how people will survive... no, I don't think humans will go extinct. We're a very adaptable species and some will benefit from technology. But there's going to be severe stresses, population movements, and increased likelihood of conflict. And at least some of this could be avoidable if people stop being complacent and carrying on ad normal now.

@ErrolTheDragon
I'm amazed in every one of these threads that @PlanDeRaccordement always gets in first with the 'it's been hotter before/it's all natural' line and misinterprets what other posters say.

I don’t dismiss climate change. It’s real alright and will continue to affect humanity and civilisations as it always has in the past. But I do object to it being presented as a scare story, which most certainly is how it is being communicated to the masses. Language like “code red” and “last chance for humanity” and “we face extinction” are scare mongering and unhelpful. Why? Because fear paralyses more than it motivates

By that logic we shouldn't worry about Covid, Ebola or any other terrible disease, because there have always been catastrophic plagues right?

Sadly fear is usually the only way to massively change human behaviour, as we saw at the beginning of Covid.

Scientists tried the patient explanation route and nobody cared, now they are not mincing words anymore. The IPCC report this week is basically a scientific consensus that we're fucked.

There are a lot of vested interests spreading disinformation about climate change (e.g. fossil fuel industry) I don't know why people choose to believe it rather than trust literally thousands of climate scientists but denial is a powerful thing.

Sadly fear is usually the only way to massively change human behaviour, as we saw at the beginning of Covid.

But we need long term change to tackle climate change. If covid tells us anything, it's that you can use fear as a catalyst to make dramatic short term changes. But it's not sustainable, fear isn't sustainable - it's too disabling. After a while people become exhausted and return to their previous behaviours.

I think the difference is that a lot of those long-term changes for climate reasons are sustainable.

For example, encouraging people to eat less meat -- not become totally vegetarian, but eat less meat. Lots of people are doing this and finding it's not really a big deal.

One of the biggest things governments could do is severely limit or even eliminate the cruise industry (it is incredible how much environmental damage is done by cruise ships). The vast majority of people on the planet would not be affected at all by this.

Switching to green technologies and energies makes sense and also creates a lot of jobs.

I think there needs to be a dose of fear to get people doing things but if you do it in combination with positive messaging, it could be really successful. But we need governments to do more.

@FourTeaFallOut

I was in Paris when it hit 42 degrees a few years back, I can't imagine adding another 7 degrees on top of that.

Ime once it hits 40 it's so hot already you don't notice the extra degrees