Climate researcher Helga Kromp-Kolb takes stock of a year full of extremes such as drought, fires and floods. Experts say action should be taken in 2023.
For many people, the 2022 climate crisis has become a climate catastrophe. One of the worst events is the heat wave that lasted for weeks in April in India and Pakistan and brought peak temperatures above 50 °C. It was also very hot in Canada, Argentina and Europe. Peak temperatures above 40°C in some British cities are consistent with events occurring 1,500 years ago. 2022 will be one of the six warmest years – all since 2015.
With the heat came forest fires – 660,000 hectares of forest fell prey to the flames in Europe in mid-August – with associated CO₂ emissions that amplify climate change. Record low water levels on the Po and Rhine led to problems in water supply, electricity production and shipping and revealed unexpected dependencies.
Climate Summit was guilty of everything
Pakistan was catastrophically hit for the second time: 33 million people were affected by floods, about 1,600 lost their lives. No wonder the country’s government pressed hard at the World Climate Conference in Egypt (COP27) for a fund to compensate developing countries for climate damage. The fund will come, but will remain undoped for the time being. In terms of emission reductions, this COP has it all to thank. Since not much can be expected from the next two COPs, other strategies must be developed.
The issuance of the super rich can no longer be ignored. Energy-intensive space flight and private deep-sea diving submarines are just the tip of an irresponsible lifestyle. The wealthiest 0.54 percent of the population causes about 14 percent of global emissions. By 2030, the wealthiest 1 percent will have a per capita carbon footprint about 30 times greater than that consistent with the 1.5 degree target.
Year of extreme weather also in Austria
In Austria, a dry, warm spring was followed by a hot and sunny summer, with small-scale heavy precipitation leading to localized flooding and debris flows. On August 18, a storm front with strong gusts of wind came from Italy through East Tyrol, Carinthia and Styria to Lower Austria and paralyzed power and transportation lines.
Above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall have led to unusually low water levels and widespread drought problems. Particularly striking is the marked retreat of the glaciers, a result of low snow levels from the previous winters, several dusty events in the Sahara and the hot, dry weather.
Fortunately, Austrian climate policy is making progress, but then unfortunately takes it back: the eco-social climate tax is introduced – too late, too low – but then suspended for months. The long-awaited energy efficiency law is presented, but at the same time the economy’s energy consumption is subsidized. The law on climate protection is still a long time coming.
2022 could have been the year of change
Political responses remain slow. No wonder desperate young people are looking for ways to wake up. Instead of taking legal action to protect the climate, politicians are looking for solutions in legal action against the climate protectors.
The energy cost explosion, fueled in Europe by the economic war with Russia and energy shortages in France, which has to compensate for the technical failures of its nuclear power plants, could prove much more effective for the energy transition than concerns about the future of the climate. Despite ill-considered investments, such as in LGN ports in Germany, and gas imports from previously banned countries, which make sense at best in the short term, the year 2022 could go down in history as a turning point in fossil fuel use, it says International Energy Agency.
The United States, among others, is giving hope by using its anti-inflation measures to protect the climate – in the form of subsidies, tax credits and loans that are intended, among other things, to promote the expansion of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency among private households. A major first step that also puts pressure on the EU.
A preview by Helga Kromp-Kolb
If all goes well, 2023 and 2024 will be significantly warmer than 2022 and 2024 will even set a new temperature record with El Niño, but measures will be taken to curb the temperature increase. Internationally, ways are being sought to use money from the North to help provide the South with clean energy. Bilateral and multilateral agreements support all stakeholders in their climate protection efforts. In Europe, climate protection is benefiting from efforts to keep up with the rise in climate-friendly US products as a result of the anti-inflation program. Peace is being made in Ukraine for many reasons, including economic ones.
A change of heart among the inhibitors in Austrian climate policy enables a climate protection law that creates the framework for monitoring and demanding compliance and effectiveness of all climate protection measures. The people of Austria recognize that climate protection helps them to be healthier and live longer and more fulfilling lives, and they demand this.
All naive dreams? Naive and dreamers are those who believe that with “business as usual” there is a chance for a good future. You have to dare to think about positive developments if they are to happen.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
