2 months ago
16
South Korea
witnessed its highest
average temperature
since the weather agency set up nationwide observation posts in 1973, according to the
Korea Meteorological Administration
(KMA).
The average temperature, from June to August, in South Korea was 25.6 degrees Celsius (78.08 Fahrenheit), 1.9 degrees higher than the historical average, AFP reported.
"From mid-June, temperatures remained higher than in previous years, even during the monsoon season when temperatures traditionally drop," the KMA said.
The KMA head, Jang Dong-un, attributed this to
climate change
altering South Korea's weather patterns.
"We experienced heavy downpours during the monsoon season, and the prolonged heat wave and
tropical nights
caused significant discomfort and damage to the public," Jang said.
"As climate change is altering the climate characteristics of our country, the Korea Meteorological Administration will work hard to strengthen its monitoring and analysis capabilities for abnormal weather conditions."
The country also experienced the longest stretch of tropical nights on record, averaging 20.2 days for the June to August period, triple the previous average of 6.5 days. "With a consistent influx of hot and humid air carried by southwesterly winds, tropical nights occurred without a drop in night-time temperatures," the KMA said. Seoul, the capital, shattered its previous record with 39 consecutive tropical nights this summer.
Professor Kim Hae-dong of Keimyung University expects a similar pattern to emerge next year, as climate change verges on a climate crisis in many parts of the world, including South Korea, reported AFP.
The European Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the global average temperature for the 12 months from July 2023 to June 2024 was the highest on record, and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) noted that the number of days with temperatures reaching 35C in the world's largest capital cities has surged by 52 percent over the past 30 years.
Last week, South Korea's Constitutional Court ruled that much of the country's climate goals were unconstitutional, handing a landmark victory to young environmental activists and forcing the government to revise its climate targets. The plaintiffs argued that unless Seoul moved more quickly on climate goals, future generations would not only have to live in a degraded environment but also bear the burden of undertaking massive greenhouse gas reductions, violating the state's duty to protect their fundamental rights.
