Climate change responsible for ever milder winter

The temperatures are very moderate. New Zealand said on Friday 3 September that New Zealand has just had its mildest winter, as a result of climate change National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), government agency.

From June to August, temperatures were above average by 1.32 degrees Celsius, NIWA said, beating the previous record set last year. Since 2000, New Zealand has recorded seven of the ten warmest winters, according to this body.

The last time the archipelago recorded consecutive winters with record mild temperatures dates back to 1970 and 1971. Now, these two years will rank 18th and 13th respectively in the ranking, which dates back to 1909.

“What was considered unusually hot at the time is no longer considered unusual.”

Nava Fdaev, NIWA meteorologist

In Agence France-Presse

According to meteorologist Neva Vidaev, climatic phenomena played a role during these two record years. But what makes the real difference is the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

A station near Wellington, the nation’s capital, recorded an atmospheric carbon dioxide level of 320 parts per million (ppm), a unit of measure used to estimate air pollution, in the early 1970s. That level now stands at 412 parts per million, an increase of more than 30%.

Last year, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared a “climate emergency” in Parliament, stressing the need for rapid action in this area for the benefit of future generations.

New Zealand is among the countries that have committed to achieving the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The country, with a population of less than 5 million, has also committed to producing 100% renewable energy by 2035.