Greece, a nation renowned for its sun-drenched islands and ancient history, is increasingly grappling with the harsh realities of climate change. The Mediterranean, a region already known for its warm climate, is experiencing a rapid escalation of extreme weather events, and Greece stands as a stark example of this trend. This summer, the country endured its earliest heatwave on record, leading to multiple deaths, school closures, and disruptions to tourism. While temperatures have dipped slightly below the official heatwave threshold of 38°C, little respite is expected for the rest of the summer.
The Mediterranean is a hotspot for the climate crisis, with Greece at the forefront. Dr Kostas Lagouvardos, research director at the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), emphasizes this alarming reality. Europe, as a whole, is warming at twice the global average, with the Mediterranean region bearing the brunt of this warming, especially in summer. Southern Italy, Cyprus, Turkey, and North African countries are also heavily impacted by the rising heat. Greece’s eastern Mediterranean location experiences particularly rapid warming. Over the past 30-40 years, NOA research indicates that the overall temperature increase in Greece surpasses 1.5°C, a significant jump for such a short timeframe.
Greece’s unique geography exacerbates its vulnerability to climate extremes. The country boasts the longest coastline in the Mediterranean, including thousands of islands in the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas. This extensive coastline, coupled with the presence of numerous islands exposed to the sea, makes Greece particularly susceptible to strong winds. The country’s mosaic of land and sea creates a symbiotic system, where warming in one element triggers warming in the other. The summer heatwaves, for instance, significantly elevate Mediterranean waters, leading to increased cyclogenesis, the formation of cyclones and low-pressure systems over the sea. The devastating Storm Daniel in September 2023, which brought an unprecedented deluge to the mainland, stands as a prime example of this phenomenon.
Greece’s proximity to Africa contributes to the influx of warm winds carrying dust across the ocean. These winds fueled the recent heatwave earlier this month. The country also experiences strong, dry northern winds called the Etesians, which primarily affect the islands and eastern regions, including Athens. These winds typically dominate in July and August but are now emerging earlier in June. This early arrival, coupled with dry and hot conditions, creates a hazardous scenario for wildfires, a growing threat in Greece. While Greece shares climate challenges with other Mediterranean countries, it faces a disproportionately high number of forest fires. Experts are actively exploring various solutions and forest management techniques to address this annual occurrence, including the use of advanced technology such as drones and temperature sensors.
To gain a deeper understanding of Greece’s changing climate, Dr Lagouvardos established and oversees a network of hundreds of automated surface meteorological stations across the country. These stations provide localized heat warnings and track warming trends, revealing that it is not the southern, coastal regions but the northwestern parts of Greece, further inland, that are experiencing the most rapid warming in the past 30 years. NOA also meticulously monitors extreme weather events, defined as those causing significant social and economic impacts. Between 2000 and 2009, 60 such events were recorded, a number that surged by 50% to 90 between 2010 and 2019. In response to the severe wildfires of 2021, Greece established the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, reflecting the country’s position as a frontline state in the climate crisis. Greek politicians have adopted a more urgent and forthright tone regarding the crisis compared to their northern European counterparts. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis aptly summarized the situation last year: “Greece is facing a war in a time of peace… The climate crisis is here and forces us to see everything differently.”
