Stimulated by record temperatures this summer, Greek scientists have begun to discuss the need to name and rank heat waves, known for their invisibility, before rampant wildfires make the reality of the climate crisis more and more severe.
As a preventive measure, this move will enable policy makers and affected people to be more prepared for what experts call “silent killers.”
Greece experienced twice High temperature since June, Both extremely long-lasting and strong, the second wave lasted for nearly three weeks. The temperature rose again last week, and Athens was once again a victim of suburban fires, and a devastating fire broke out in the northwest of the capital. The research director of the National Astronomical Observatory of Athens, Dr. Costas Lagovardos, said that it is clear that extreme heat is underestimated.
“This very hot summer gives us a snapshot of the climate for the next 20 or 30 years, when we may experience high temperatures for a long time,” he said. “This is an extreme behavior, but it may become the norm. Unlike other severe weather events, you don’t see extreme heat.”
He insisted that both national authorities and citizens must be aware of the danger. He said: “We believe that when the event has a name, people will be more prepared to face the upcoming weather event.” “They will be more aware of the problems this may bring to their lives and property… the heat wave will Cause many deaths; they make no noise, they may not be visible, but they are silent killers.”
In recent months, Greece is far from alone in enduring extreme heat or forest fires.Mercury hit August 11 at 48.8C in Syracuse, Sicily -The hottest temperature on record in Europe-Hell erupts across the Mediterranean.
But in an area considered a hotspot for the climate crisis, Athens is the hottest metropolis on the European continent and has been listed in repeated studies as likely to suffer from the consequences of global warming. On August 3, the highest temperature in the country’s history was 47.1 degrees Celsius in northern Greece.
In recent weeks, huge fires — some people have been blamed on arsonists — have burned large tracts of land, destroyed houses and caused mass evacuation, most notably on Evia, the country’s second largest island.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was forced to apologize after fierce criticism of his government’s handling of the fire. He said the unprecedented weather effectively “turned the country into a gunpowder keg.” , There were nearly 600 fires within a week.
“This is the climate crisis here and now,” he told CNN. “We need to completely change the way we generate electricity, build buildings, grow food and move around.”
Mizotakis also described it as the largest ecological disaster in the United States in decades. The consequences were huge. Leaders were also forced to announce a 500 million euro rescue plan and set up a new ministerial post to oversee Recovery from natural disasters. More than 20 countries dispatched firefighters, equipment and aircraft Greece.
Four years ago, as the challenges facing life and property became more apparent, Greek meteorologists began to name winter storms and other severe weather phenomena.
Lagovados, who was trained in France and is the chief meteorologist of the observatory, said ranking heat waves would be “more tricky” because the classification inevitably involves measuring temperature distribution and population density.
However, more generally, heat waves are easier to predict than storms in terms of intensity and duration. He said that if temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius last for more than a week, Greek scientists think they should be named. The same series of alternating male and female nicknames used for storms extracted from Greek history and mythology can now be applied to heat waves.
Athens is one of the few cities in the world where a chief heating officer has been appointed, and it is also the only metropolis in Europe.
After less than a month in this position, academia and former deputy mayor Eleni Myrivili believes that the initiative may change the way extreme temperatures are managed.
“By naming and classifying heat waves according to their severity, the whole idea of making heat waves more obvious will be a turning point,” she said. “This will help people understand the imminent dangers, while enabling policymakers to trigger policies that better protect them.”
