The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) urged cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible. The current heatwaves continue to break records and leave major impact on human health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies.

WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas urged the increase of efforts to help society adapt to what is "becoming the new normal".

The WMO community is providing forecasts and warnings to protect lives and livelihoods, and strive to achieve the goal of the 'Early Warnings for All' initiative, Taalas added.

Intense heat is gripping large parts of the Northern hemisphere in this summer of extremes, causing major damage to the peoples health and the environment.

Wildfires have caused devastation and dozens of casualties and forced evacuations of thousands of people in parts of the Mediterranean, including Algeria, Greece, Italy and Spain.

According to the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS), the emissions from these wildfires have been the highest for this period of time in Greece in the last 21 years. Canada has seen its worst wildfire season on record, harming air quality for millions of people in North America.

Sea surface temperatures have hit new records, with severe marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean and off the coast of Florida.

A study by WMO showed that without human induced climate change these heat events would however have been extremely rare. Maximum heat like in July 2023 would have been virtually impossible to occur in the US/Mexico region and Southern Europe if humans had not warmed the planet by burning fossil fuels.

Heatwaves are amongst the deadliest natural hazards with thousands of people dying from heat-related causes each year. The full impact of a heatwave is often not known until weeks or months afterwards. (QNA)

Source: Qatar News Agency