Cause of climate anomalies

[Anchor]

These unusual weather phenomena are largely influenced by climate change due to global warming.

Experts emphasize the need to reduce carbon emissions that exacerbate warming before greater damage occurs.

Next, we have a report from meteorology specialist Lee Se-heum.

[Report]

The direct cause of the record heatwave hitting the United States is the so-called 'heat dome phenomenon'.

A high-pressure system that has developed high in the atmosphere persists, leading to clear, cloudless weather, and as heat accumulates, temperatures continue to rise.

While this phenomenon often occurs in the southwestern United States, this year’s timing and scale are unusual.

[Min Gi-hong/Professor, Department of Earth System Science, Kyungpook National University: "In the U.S., heatwaves typically start around early July, but we are only at the end of June, and we are experiencing an early heatwave..."]

Experts agree that climate change due to global warming has had an impact.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also stated that this heatwave is a long-term effect of climate change, revealing that summers in the U.S. are about 1.3 degrees Celsius warmer than they were 50 years ago.

The extreme rainfall in France and China is also analyzed as being influenced by climate change.

[Kim Hye-rin/Researcher, Extreme Heat and Weather Research Center, Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology: "As temperatures increase due to climate change, the amount of water vapor that the atmosphere can hold also increases. Compared to 20 years ago, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere has significantly increased."]

The global average temperature has already surpassed the 1.5-degree mark compared to pre-industrial levels, which was considered a critical threshold.

Experts stress the need for urgent, high-intensity measures to reduce carbon emissions, as climate change could accelerate further.

This is KBS News, Lee Se-heum.