By 2050, everyday temperatures in Brussels might be very similar to current ones in the Australian capital, according to reports in media of new study published Wednesday suggesting that an overwhelming majority of the world's cities are set to undergo major climate shifts in the coming years.
London's climate will be like Barcelona's and temperatures in Madrid will align with those in Marrakesh, while Stockholm's weather will be similar to that in Budapest, as the effects of human activity on the world's climate begin to manifest, according to the study published in the journal PLOS ONE.
According to the study, with Europe's average summer and winter temperatures expected to rise by 3.5 and 4.7 degrees Celcius, respectively, Brussels might no longer reach freezing temperatures even during its coldest months — and scorching summer temperatures like the ones brought on by a recent heatwave may become standard.
Researchers studied the climate of 520 major cities and concluded that 77% of all cities in the world are set to see dramatic changes to their average weather, and experience "new" and "extreme" climates.
"We are absolutely not prepared for this," one of the researchers of the study said, according to Bruzz, adding that policy planning for climate change should have "begun yesterday," and that the study was based on the "most optimistic" prediction models, which assume CO2 emissions will stabilise mid-century.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
