Global warming is now an indisputable fact.
The entire scientific community agrees that global temperatures are rising. But only a few scientists dare to make accurate predictions. In a recent study, however, experts from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH-Zurich) have analyzed data from 530 cities around the world and published a comparative approximation of what our climate will look like in 29 years.
And the general conclusion leaves no room for optimism. 77% of cities will have higher average temperatures, some even as high as cities 1000 km further south. Rome , for example, will have the climate of southern Turkey and Madrid that of Morocco. You can check the data for yourself on this interactive map.
In comparison, the situation in Germany is less extreme overall, but still worth considering. Nationwide, the average annual temperature is expected to rise by 1.5°, the temperature in the coldest month by 2.4° and the temperature in the warmest month by 5.4° Celsius. In other words: In one generation, we will have the climate of central Italy.
Of the four German cities analyzed in the study, Berlin is expected to be the most affected by climate change. Temperatures will rise by 2.5°C in winter and 6.1°C in summer, or 1.8°C per year. On the other hand, Munich will be less affected with an increase of “only” 2.2 °C and 4.6 °C in winter and summer respectively and 1.2 °C per year. There is no concrete data for Suttgart.
As for the aim of the study, the leaders explained that the idea is to “facilitate the understanding of climate change on a global scale and also to help politicians and officials visualize the future climate in their respective cities to facilitate decision-making”. Let’s hope they succeed.