Climate: the world faces its hottest week ever

The entire world is facing an period of extreme heat. Droughts in Europe and North Africa, fires in Australia, floods in Pakistan are, unfortunately, only some of the effects of El Niño, a phenomenon that consists of warming waters in the South Pacific Ocean, thus causing additional overheating effects worldwide. Specifically, the central part of the Pacific Ocean surface experiences a rise in temperature of at least 0.5°C for at least five months and this causes very intense weather events on a planetary scale. The last appearance of El Niño occurred in 2016, described as the year with the hottest summer ever and with disastrous consequences worldwide. But now El Niño is back and 2023 could steal the record, becoming the hottest year ever.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service - the EU's climate crisis monitoring programme - has compiled some alarming data: June 2023 was the hottest ever, after a May that turned out to be the second hottest on record. In addition to El Niño, the overheating of our planet caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere also contributes to making 2023 a record year in terms of temperatures. The Paris Agreement set limits of 1.5°C and 2°C as targets for the average temperature of the planet by the end of the century, but we have already reached them. Europe, in particular, is overheating twice as fast as global averages. In 2022 it has in fact exceeded the upper limit set by the Paris Agreement, with an average temperature 2.3°C higher than pre-industrial levels, with a series of highly visible consequences in terms of health, water resources, food security and beyond.

The report by the World Meteorological Organisation in May shows that there is a 98% chance that at least one of the five years between 2023 and 2027 will be the warmest ever. And a 66% chance that the average global temperature will exceed pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5°C for at least one year over the same period. "This report does not mean that we will permanently exceed the 1.5°C level specified in the Paris Agreement. However, the Omm is issuing the alert that we will temporarily exceed the 1.5°C level with increasing frequency," said the World Meteorological Organisation's Secretary General Petteri Taalas. "El Niño warming is expected to develop in the coming months and this will combine with human-induced climate change to push global temperatures into uncharted territory. This will have far-reaching repercussions for health, food security, water management and the environment."

In Italy, the record heat wave is endangering the country. Thermometers are reaching highs of 36°C, up to 40°C on the hottest days and mainly in southern areas. Forecasts indicate that temperatures will rise further, reaching 45°C in some areas. This heat wave could become one of the most intense ever experienced in Italy. "The record-breaking temperatures on land and in the oceans have potentially devastating impacts on ecosystems and the environment," says the UNO, and "highlight the far-reaching changes that are occurring in the Earth system as a result of the human-induced climate change." We are experiencing the hottest week on record and it is important to reflect on this issue: we must act quickly to preserve our planet and mitigate the effects of climate change, protecting the environment and global ecosystems.

In this context, the effects on biodiversity are manifold and worrying. The drought and high temperatures affect biodiversity by altering flowers, with a direct impact on pollinating insects and a consequent decline in populations, and even a reduction in plant reproduction: a real threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. A scientific study has shown that drought leads to a reduction in floral resources available to pollinators, with a minor number of nectar-containing flowers. These cascading effects underline the importance of taking measures to preserve biodiversity in the face of climate change and drought.

With this in mind, 3Bee is promoting the creation of the first private ecological corridor visible from space: the Oases of Biodiversity. The aim is to create habitats of urban and agroforestry biodiversity that provide refuges for pollinators and native flora. Certified and monitored sites thanks to 3Bee technology, whose impact is constantly traceable and supported by important research partners who support the regeneration project. The Oases of Biodiversity also include the planting of nectariferous trees, which contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change by absorbing part of the CO2 in the atmosphere and promoting soil regeneration. Want to know more? Contact us to learn more about the Oasis project and start your journey towards biodiversity.