It is possible that this summer will be the hottest again, but it will not break records. The record for Bulgaria has not yet been improved. It dates back to 1916, when the temperature reached 45.2 degrees.
"We have already had heat waves that are unusual for this time. Usually the heat waves are in July and August, sometimes September. A hot summer should be expected and this is just the beginning of the new reality. Summers will become hotter and hotter, and the heat waves will last longer. In the coming years, we may witness higher records - temperatures above 45°", climatologist Valentin Simeonov told Bulgaria On Air.
"The climate has changed a lot and warming is accelerating. An important piece of news was missed amid the political news - last year's warming was 1.6°, which was expected to happen in 2037 at the earliest. This is due to human activity, the release of greenhouse gases, but also the reduction in the release of fine particles into the atmosphere. This process began in the 1970s," Simeonov added.
According to him, the only way to slow down warming is to reduce the use of fossil fuels and the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
"Many people die from pollution. In India, life expectancy is 10 years shorter due to pollution, as is the case in China. We need to prepare for the new reality. Temperatures of 50 degrees will not be uncommon in Europe in the next 10 years. Air conditioners are not a solution because they transfer heat from the inside to the outside. With higher air temperatures, the efficiency of air conditioners decreases, they consume more energy and cool less," the climatologist emphasized.
He explained that construction should also be limited and not be so dense.
"We are observing a phenomenon in which the temperature in the city is several degrees higher. In Sofia in the center the temperature is 5-6° higher than in the surrounding area. This will increase because there is a lot of concrete that absorbs sunlight and retains it for a long time. The other problem is with air conditioners, because there will not be enough energy. There will be a shortage of electricity at night. There should be as many parks and green roofs as possible," Valentin Simeonov also commented.
The guest predicted that we will witness more floods, hailstorms, extreme storms, fires, but also a huge drought. "We should avoid building tall buildings, reduce the use of impermeable surfaces - asphalt and concrete on the streets, parking lots can be made with concrete gratings. It is important to protect forests, they are highly endangered. One of the most terrible things is massive forest fires, for which we are not prepared. Other processes are beginning that will accelerate warming. One of these processes is the melting of glaciers. It is expected that a large part of the glaciers will disappear before the middle of the century," he added.