In June 2024, Greece was gripped by an extraordinary heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 43 degrees Celsius across many regions. This event was labeled historic by meteorologists, yet some social media users contested the notion that it was a result of climate change. They cited a similar temperature spike in 1965 in Larissa, suggesting such high temperatures were not unprecedented.
The narrative drew from an old newspaper, "Eleftheria," which reported a temperature of 45.4 degrees Celsius in Larissa during the summer of 1965. This piece of historical data was used in social media posts to argue against the current understanding of climate change. However, this comparison is fundamentally flawed. While it is true that such temperatures occurred, they do not negate the broader, statistically significant trend of rising global temperatures over the last century.
Experts emphasize that focusing on isolated incidents of extreme weather from the past is misleading. Kostas Lagouvardos, a meteorologist and research director at the National Observatory of Athens, pointed out that while high temperatures did occasionally occur in the past, the average temperatures have consistently risen in recent decades. From 1991 to 2020, Greece's average temperature increased by 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius, a clear indicator of climate change.
Scientific institutions like the Research and Policy Institute Dianeosis have underscored that the planet's atmosphere has warmed gradually but steadily over the past 150 years, primarily due to human activities that enhance the greenhouse effect. This effect, caused by gases like carbon dioxide, traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly warned about the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate severe consequences of global warming. Their reports show a sharp increase in global temperatures correlating with human-induced emissions, presenting a stark contrast to what the climate trajectory could have been without these emissions.
Furthermore, the European Environment Agency reported in 2022 that heatwaves across Europe, particularly in southern regions like Greece, are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged due to climate change. This trend is expected to worsen, posing significant risks to human health and the environment.
Recent studies, such as those by the World Weather Attribution, confirm that events like the severe heatwaves experienced in North America and Europe, including Greece in July 2023, would have been virtually impossible without human-induced climate changes. These findings are supported by ongoing research, which shows an increase in the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events earlier in the year than was typical in the mid-20th century.
Projections for the future are equally concerning. Researchers anticipate that by 2050, Greece will experience up to 20 more heatwave days annually, a decrease in rainfall by up to 30%, and a significant increase in days with high fire risk. The expected changes will likely affect various sectors, including tourism, agriculture, and urban development, making the impacts of climate change an unavoidable reality for the Greek population.
While historical data like the 1965 heatwave in Larissa provides interesting context, it does not serve as a counterargument against the well-documented, scientifically supported phenomenon of global warming. The evidence overwhelmingly supports a trend of increasing temperatures and extreme weather events, driven by human activity, that demands immediate and sustained action to mitigate its impacts.
