Global environmental developments in July 2022

ANKARA

Several reports about climate change and its growing effects were released in July along with encouraging initiatives and pledges for environmental protection.

Below is a list of environmental developments, reports and events compiled by Anadolu Agency.

July 1:

- Global leaders representing UN member states, private companies and civil society affirmed the urgent need to invest in ocean protection and restoration.

July 2:

- Türkiye is situated in the Mediterranean basin, one of the regions most affected by the effects of climate change, according to its environment minister.

July 4:

- Authorities in Australia's state of New South Wales orders thousands to evacuate after flood water entered residential areas.

- Italy declares a state of emergency in five northern regions that are most affected by drought.

July 5:

- At least 200 children in Somalia have died of malnutrition since January as the country is witnessing "catastrophic food insecurity" for the first time since 2017, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

- Spain is in the midst of the fourth-driest year on record, said the country’s meteorological agency, AEMET.

July 6:

- COP26 President Alok Sharma meets Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan and commended her efforts in the fight against climate change.

July 8:

- The number of children in Somalia who needed treatment for the most dangerous form of malnutrition surged 300% in the first six months of 2022, according to humanitarian agency, Save the Children.

July 10:

- Although more than 2,300 firefighters are battling blazes across Portugal, the nation’s president warns that the risk of fires will get significantly worse later this week.

July 11:

- Portugal enters a state of alarm as the risk of wildfires is set to continue intensifying this week.

July 12:

- The International Red Cross warns that millions are at risk of severe hunger in the coming months as extreme poverty, inequality and food insecurity rose, particularly in parts of Africa and the Middle East.

July 13:

- Three UN agencies said more than 112,400 people have been displaced by drought in Somalia by June 22 -- a 231% increase compared to May.

July 19:

- Temperatures in Paris went above 40 C (104 F) for the third time in 75 years as France grapples with a second straight day of a heatwave.

- Scientists with the European Union's climate monitoring service warn of "very high ozone pollution" for a large region of Europe stemming from the current heatwave.

- Temperatures in Britain are expected to surpass 40 C (104 F) for the first time.

- Europe’s current heatwave is breaking records, detrimentally affecting Europeans’ health, economy, agricultural production and tourism, and the trend is likely to become more frequent for decades, according to the chief of the world’s weather group.

July 20:

- US President Joe Biden announces new executive actions to combat climate change but stopped short of declaring a climate emergency.

- The 10-day heat wave that finally dissipated in Spain is the most intense on record, according to preliminary data.

July 21:

- A record-breaking heatwave in Europe is moving north toward Sweden and extremely high temperatures are expected across the country this week, warns the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute.

July 22:

- Turkish scientists start to observe data on particulates in the atmosphere above Antarctica collected via satellite and ground-based systems.

July 25:

- More than 900 people have died from hunger in the past five months in Uganda's northern Karamoja region.

- Hungary reports its highest night temperature in 128 years, 25.4 C (77.72 F), amid the ongoing heatwave in Europe.

July 26:

- More than 75% of mangroves are under threat and the world cannot afford to lose the unique ecosystems, according to the head of UNESCO.

July 28:

- The number of wildfires in Europe this year is nearly four times the average seen in the past 15 years, according to the EU’s Copernicus Earth Observation Program.

July 29:

- Since its launch in 2017, Türkiye's Zero-Waste project has removed 3.9 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and saved the economy billions of dollars.