The world just experienced the hottest June of all time, says the Copernicus Climate Change Service

Global readings show the world just experienced its most scorching June on record, putting 2019 on track to be the world’s hottest year ever.

Last month was the hottest June ever recorded with soaring temperatures worldwide capped off by a record-breaking heatwave across Western Europe.

Global readings taken by the EU-ran Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) showed European temperatures were around 2C hotter than normal, and globally Earth was 0.1C hotter than the previous June record.

Spain experienced several wildfires during the heatwave. Picture: AFP

Last week’s heatwave smashed national records for the hottest single day as scorching weather spread across Europe from the Sahara.

It was so intense that temperatures were as much as 10C higher than normal across France, Germany, northern Spain and Italy.

The Copernicus team said it was difficult to attribute the record-breaking month “directly” to climate change. But a separate analysis from an international team of scientists said global warming had made the heatwave at least five times more likely.

Europe’s heatwave was so intense that temperatures were as much as 10C higher than normal across France, Germany, northern Spain and Italy. Picture: AFP

Several tons of fish died in the Etang de Berre lagoon in Marignane, near Marseille in southeastern France. The lagoon’s oxygen levels were lowered in the heat, leading to the deaths.

Merging satellite data with historic temperature charts, C3S found June 2019 was 3C hotter across Europe than the baseline average between 1850-1900.

“Our data show that the temperatures over the southwestern region of Europe during the last week of June were unusually high,” said Jean-Noel Thepaut, head of C3S.

“Although this was exceptional, we are likely to see more of these events in the future due to climate change.”

Last week, the World Meteorological Organisation said 2019 was on track to be among the world’s hottest years, and 2015-2019 the hottest five-year period on record.

It said the European heatwave was “absolutely consistent” with extremes linked to the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.

Last week, the World Meteorological Organisation said 2019 was on track to be among the world’s hottest yearsrs. Picture: AFP

EUROPE SCORCHES

Hundreds of Spanish firefighters and soldiers continued to battle three major blazes at the end of last week despite a welcome temperature drop across western parts of Europe.

France too had to contend with fire in the south of the country — and some farmers there counted the cost of the heatwave to their grapevines.

In Rome, Pope Francis told pilgrims in Saint Peter’s Square: “I pray for those who have suffered the most from the heat in recent days; the sick, the elderly, those who work outside, on construction sites … let no one be abandoned or exploited.”

Six days of intense heat fuelled huge blazes and spikes of pollution in many countries. According to official figures, it claimed four lives in France, two in Italy and another two in Spain.

Originally published as The world just experienced the hottest June of all time, says the Copernicus Climate Change Service