Heat-related mortality in Europe during the summer of 2022

[CharonY]

A paper was just published estimating heat-associated deaths in Europe during 2022, which was the hottest year on record until this year.

Overall, the authors calculated 61,672 (37,643-86,807 CI 95%) heat-related deaths. Considering that the predictions indicate that things are not going to be better (quite the contrary), it show the immediate impact of heat on humans, even without considering broader ecological implications.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02419-z

 

[Ken Fabian]

We are adding CO2 at higher rates than ever - and would probably be even higher without growth of renewable energy - so I am not surprised that we see the scale of real world impacts growing. Whether this el Nino brings record global temperatures with it isn't certain but if not this one, the next one probably will.

I do think we are on the cusp of achieving zero growth of fossil fuel use but a lot of economic dependence on it is built on so reducing it's use is still dependent on a lot of still relatively new power stations aging before reaching retirement. But whilst renewables are cheaper to build for electricity generation - I think most of the growth is because they are cheaper, not for emissions reductions - that circumstance may not persist; we still need the kinds of commitments to actions that may make things more expensive in the near term in order to avoid the costs of climate impacts in the medium to longer term (not just longer term anymore).