Climate change is hitting Egypt, with record high temperatures and scarce rain: Climate professor
This comes amid a continued trend of unprecedented global temperatures, reflecting the growing impact of global warming on planet Earth.
According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, January 2025 continued a series of months with exceptional temperatures.
The service's monthly bulletin indicated that 18 of the last 19 months have seen global temperatures exceed pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The average global temperature in January increased by 1.75 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era, raising concerns about the worsening global warming phenomenon.
A climate professor at the Zagazig University, Ali Qutub, revealed that the world is facing ongoing climate changes, with temperatures rising at an unprecedented rate, impacting ecosystems and climates in various countries.
He explained that each month of the year has climatic averages that include temperatures, rainfall amounts, and weather phenomena; however, these averages differ from one country to another based on geographic location and proximity to water.
Egypt not spared from climate change
In exclusive statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm, he explained that climate change has led to a global rise in temperatures – and Egypt is no exception.
It was originally expected that the average maximum temperature in Cairo during January would be around 17C but records from the Egyptian Meteorological Authority showed that the actual average was between 20-21C Celsius on most days of the month.
Additionally, the minimum temperatures recorded at dawn were higher than their normal rates by about three to four degrees Celsius.
He added that the increase in temperatures has even impacted rainfall rates with Egypt and most North African countries, except for the Maghreb and some Gulf countries, have experienced a scarcity of rain.
He pointed out that the continued rise in Earth's temperature leads to increased evaporation of water from seas and oceans, resulting in greater amounts of rain over these water bodies and consequently causing flooding on the coasts, a;; while the chances of rain on land decrease.
A warming world
The climate professor confirmed that the main reason for the worsening climate crisis is the stubbornness of major industrialized countries and their refusal to reduce carbon emissions, noting that US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 and showed a lack of commitment to the recommendations of the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan.
This comes from the insistence of major countries to continue using fossil fuels, leading to the exacerbation of global warming.
A climate professor explained that the Eastern Mediterranean region is usually affected by 12 to 13 weather depressions during the winter season; however, this year the region experienced significantly fewer depressions, which impacted rainfall rates. This reflects the increasing influence of climate change on weather patterns in the area.
Climate scientists previously indicated that 2024 would be the first full year in which global temperatures exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels. The Copernicus service confirmed this assessment, warning that climate change is pushing Earth's temperatures to unprecedented levels in modern times, which could signal serious environmental consequences in the near and distant future.
This also comes after 2023 was classified as the hottest year on Earth in global records dating back to 1850, due to climate change caused by human activities and the El Niño weather phenomenon, which sees surface water temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean rise.
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