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Deadly heat since June: Scientists explain why extreme weather is hitting Greece

2024-06-27 21:54:08Fokus SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Deadly heat since June: Scientists explain why extreme weather is hitting Greece
Scientists explain why extreme weather is hitting Greece

Greece's summer season has gotten off to a tragic start with the earliest heat wave on record causing several deaths this month. At least six tourists have died from the high temperatures, which also closed schools and sites, including the Acropolis. A firefighter also died while battling a blaze last week as flames erupted across the country "about every 10 minutes" according to the fire service.

Temperatures in Athens are currently below the official heat wave threshold of 38 degrees Celsius, but some respite is expected for the rest of the summer.

There is no doubt that the Mediterranean country is on the front line of climate change in Europe. Last year, Greece was scorched by a record-long heat wave that lasted 16 days, contributing to Europe's biggest-ever wildfire, as an area twice the size of Athens went up in smoke between July and August. At least 28 people were killed and dozens were injured.

There was little time for Greeks to catch their breath before deadly floods hit in September, with some areas experiencing an average year's worth of rain in one day from Storm Daniel. As it prepares for another season of adverse climate extremes, what are the reasons Greece has been so badly affected?

The Mediterranean, the area with the fastest warming in Europe

We know that Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world, with temperatures here rising at around twice the global average. This is supported by a recent report from the UN's World Meteorological Organization and the European Union's climate agency, Copernicus. Especially in summer, the warming is sharpest in central and southeastern Europe and around the Mediterranean, Copernicus says.

"The Mediterranean is a hot spot of the climate crisis," says Dr Lagouvardos, director of research at the National Observatory of Athens (NOA). Southern Italy, Cyprus, Turkey and North African countries are also badly affected by the rising heat. The eastern Mediterranean is warming particularly fast, he adds. Over the past 30-40 years, NOA research shows that the overall increase in temperature in Greece exceeds 1.5C, a very large jump for such a short period of time.

Extreme weather events have increased in Greece

To better assess how his country's climate is changing, Lagouvardos established and coordinates a network of hundreds of automated surface weather stations across Greece. These help to provide more localized warming warnings and track trends in which parts of the country are warming the fastest. It's not southern Greece, actually, but the northwestern parts of the country cut off from the sea that have a higher warming trend over the past 30 years, he says.

NOA is also monitoring extreme weather events – which it classifies as those that cause significant social and economic impacts. From 2000 to 2009 there were 60 such events, increasing by 50 percent to 90 between 2010 and 2019.

Many islands make Greece more vulnerable

Greece is an unusual mosaic of land and sea. It has the longest coastline in the Mediterranean once you discover its thousands of islands in the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean Seas and the Cretan Sea. Some islands have limited infrastructure and access, which can hamper evacuation and relief efforts when crisis strikes.

Marine heat waves have become longer, more frequent and more severe in the eastern Mediterranean. In turn, warmer sea surface temperatures provide energy for stronger and more frequent storms. More dangerously, these warmer waters have fueled more Mediterranean hurricanes or 'medicanes': tropical-like cyclones that can cause severe weather in Greece, as was the case during Storm Daniel last year.

Dry, strong winds create a perfect storm for wildfires

Greece's proximity to Africa means that warm spells of wind often make their way across the ocean from the Sahara. This happened earlier this month, with hot dust-carrying winds known as Sirocco or Khamsin fueling the heat wave. These winds are usually very dry and can dry out vegetation, making it more prone to start and spread fires.

On the other side are the strong and dry northerly 'Etesian' winds that blow over the Aegean Sea, affecting mainly the islands and eastern parts, including Athens. They usually dominate in July and August, but are now becoming more frequent in June as well. Although the Etesians can bring some relief to residents by lowering temperatures a bit, their strength can make fire conditions worse. If there is a distinction to be made between Greece and other Mediterranean countries in terms of climate impacts, experts believe it is the number of forest fires, which are disproportionately high.

How is Greece dealing with forest fires?

Reflecting their frontline position, Greek politicians tend to speak in much stronger terms about the crisis than many of their Northern European counterparts.

"Greece is facing a war in a time of peace," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said last year. "The climate crisis is here and it forces us to look at everything differently

In 2021, in response to the devastating fires of that summer, Greece created the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

Together with the Ministry of the Environment, Greece passed a new law earlier this year that mandates the removal of any biomass that has not been cleared from within or near forest areas. Integration with the European emergency number has helped save lives over the past three years.

Causing a forest fire is treated as a criminal offense in Greece, even if it is unintentional. Experts are also looking at a range of technical solutions to tackle the fires, including drones and temperature sensors./ Euronews Green


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