Reacción a "European State of the Climate highlights record temperatures and heavy rainfall in 2024"

The annual State of the Climate in Europe reports published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service with the World Meteorological Organisation are a quality and comprehensive reference for the evolution of the climate over the European continent. In addition to updating the indices associated with warming over Europe, this report puts special emphasis on the increasingly frequent and intense weather and climate extremes, showcasing examples of climate resilience and adaptation initiatives in cities across Europe. In this regard, it is important to highlight the importance of strengthening early warning systems for extreme weather events that cause great material and human losses. The report notes that extreme events have caused floods and high winds that have claimed at least 335 lives and affected some 413,000 people, many of them in the floods in Valencia in October last year.

All the elements that contribute to early warning systems, such as monitoring, forecasting - and, in the case of heavy rainfall, hydrological and even hydraulic forecasting as well as meteorological forecasting - on different time scales, risk assessment, automation of procedures, communication and dissemination of warnings with clear protocols, capacity building and training of both affected communities and decision makers, etc., must be reinforced to minimise the effects of extreme weather events where a rapid response is essential. In this regard, it should be recalled that WMO has proven experience in the development and implementation of all the components that essentially contribute to the proper functioning of early warning systems.