I Moved to Oslo Just as Norway Broke Temperature Records

Until this heatwave, Norway and Sweden measured more than 30 degrees Celsius in September. These are new national records, set by a considerable margin. (Illustration Scott Duncan)

Yesterday, a new national heat record was set in Norway, coinciding with my arrival in Oslo, the country's capital. For the first time in recorded history, temperatures soared above 30 degrees Celsius in September, reaching a staggering 30.6 degrees. I vividly recall the struggle of hauling heavy luggage up three flights of stairs, followed by the refreshing relief of a cool shower once the ordeal was over.

Norway's neighbor, Sweden, also experienced an unprecedented heatwave, with temperatures climbing to 31.1 degrees Celsius, marking its own record for September.

Until about five years ago, my work revolved around climate change issues, based on solid scientific insights rather than personal narratives. Since then, my perspective has changed since I witnessed firsthand the effects of climate change I had warned about for years.

• I walked through extreme heatwaves and the choking smoke of forest fires in Spain.

• In Ottawa, Canada, I experienced the iconic Rideau Canal skating rink—the largest in the world—fail to freeze for the first time in history.

• I lived in Canada as forest fires grew so large they shattered all previous records, coloring the skyline of New York in an orange haze. These wildfires kept smoldering underground in snowless winter areas for the first time, so they reemerged earlier than ever, defying the seasonal norms.

• I traveled along the Colorado River and witnessed the struggle to provide enough water for the thirsty American West.

  

  Bathtub rings etched into the canyon walls near the Hoover Dam starkly illustrate the diminishing water levels and the growing thirst of the American West. (My photo: April 22, 2023)

• I observed changes in the dunes of my beloved Dutch island, where migratory birds now choose to stay through the winter, no longer needing to migrate due to milder temperatures.

• I witnessed unusual droughts in the Netherlands, a country renowned for its water management, now training flood prevention experts in drought management.

• And then, on the day I moved to Oslo, Norway, that country broke another record.

The extreme weather events we witness are not isolated incidents but examples of an alarming global trend.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the summer of 2024 has set new temperature benchmarks globally. Average temperatures for June to August reached 0.69 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average, surpassing the previous record set in 2023.

August 2024 tied with August 2023 as the warmest on record globally, with an average surface air temperature of 16.82 degrees Celsius, 1.51 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This summer marked the 13th month in a 14-month period where global average temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

When we talk about climate change, there are just a few numbers you need to know. The 1.5-degree level is one of them. Those 13 months may not count as having structurally breached the limit set in the Paris Agreement, but even temporarily crossing this level of warming is a stark reminder of the urgency of the climate crisis.

The consequences of these rising temperatures are severe and diverse. The summer of 2024 has brought record-breaking heat and intensified droughts and wildfires across the continent. Areas in southern and eastern Europe faced severe drought conditions, while northern regions experienced heavy precipitation, leading to flooding.

I will soon send first impressions and updates from Oslo, but I needed to share this climate change information first (spoiler: this city is beautiful, and—don't shoot the messenger—so is the weather once your luggage is upstairs and you manage to forget about the ugly phenomenon of climate change briefly).

Have you also personally experienced climate change after years of only reading about it?

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Notes:

https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-summer-2024-hottest-record-globally-and-europe

https://yaleclimateconnections.org

https://climate.copernicus.eu/surface-air-temperature-august-2024