Greece becomes climate change hot spot with average temperatures rising 1.5C over last 30 years

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Greece became a hot spot for climate change with average temperatures rising 1.5 degrees Celsius in the last three decades, said a new study released on Tuesday.

According to the study by a team of scientists with the National Observatory of Athens, which examined the changes in temperature, precipitation, and sea temperature with data from the European Copernicus service, Greece’s territory as a whole saw a rise of about 0.05C per year and 1.5C over the nearly 30-year period from 1991 to 2020.

Nothing regional differences, the study said that in many areas – mainly those in northern Greece, which are far from the coast – temperatures have risen by about 0.07C per year, which means the average temperature in these areas has increased by more than 2C during the period.

It also shown a fairly significant reduction in the number of frost days throughout the country, with a greater reduction in frost days in northwest mainland Greece, but also an increase in sea surface temperature of 1.5C, with the maximum increase in the northern Aegean, the Ionian Sea, and around the island of Crete.

Moreover, during the period, there was an increase in the number of days with heavy precipitation, estimated at 9-10 days over the 30-year period, as proved by more frequent flooding incidents the country has experienced in recent years.