Keystone-SDA
Climate change is resulting in warmer winters, particularly in Europe, with many more days above 0°C, according to a study published Tuesday. This may have consequences for tourism, agriculture or health.
This content was published on
December 17, 2024 – 06:35
(Keystone-ATS) The US research institute Climate Central estimates that more than a third (44) of 123 countries and almost half (393) of 901 cities analyzed lost at least a week’s worth of frost days each year. due to human-caused warming.
The analysis focuses on minimum temperatures between the months of December and February – winter in the northern hemisphere – over the decade 2014-2023. It is based on observational data, which was compared to the simulation of a climate that would not have been warmed by the massive use of coal, oil and gas.
The study concludes that climate change has particularly increased the number of winter days with positive temperatures in Europe, the fastest-warming continent in the world. The countries most affected were Denmark and the Baltic countries.
“Crucial” winter days
“Snow, ice and cold weather, which were symbols of the winter season, are rapidly disappearing in many places, threatening ecosystems, economies and cultural traditions,” said Kristina Dahl, chief scientist. for Climate Central.
However, these freezing winter days are “crucial” for a range of sectors ranging from winter sports to the production of drinking water, dependent on the quantity of snow, she notes.
The authors also highlight the consequences on health: cold helps regulate populations of disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, while shorter winters encourage the dissemination of pollen – and therefore allergies.
Agriculture can also be affected by the phenomenon, particularly for the growth of certain fruits such as apples or peaches, which require prolonged cool periods, notes the study.
