Get set for more heatwaves

Last summer was officially Europe’s hottest for the last 500 years – and the signs are that things will only get hotter in years to come. According to data collected by climate experts at the University of Bern, Switzerland, in the last 10 years the European continent has seen higher temperatures than at any time since 1500AD. The Guardian reports that on average, Europe was two degrees Centigrade higher than average, with some destinations six degrees above average. The scientist in charge, Jurg Luterbacher, predicted that last year’s heatwave was a sign of things to come. He reportedly said: “We do not know if it will get warmer every year but the trend is certainly in that direction. The problem is that many people in Europe don’t know how to cope.” The newspaper also quotes Simon Brown, a Met Office expert in extreme events, as saying: “We expect the temperature to keep rising over Europe. In the worst case, which is if developing countries become major greenhouse gas emitters, we anticipate Europe to be around six degrees Centigrade hotter by the 2080s.” Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad