Belarusian Hydrometeorological Service tells how global warming affects climate in Belarus

During the press conference, the head of the department of climate change study at the National Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Pollution Control and Environmental Monitoring of Belarus Natalia Klevets told how the climate in Belarus is changing due to the global warming.

"Due to climate change, the air temperature is growing all over the world. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is also increasing, as well as the level of the global ocean, the mass of land-based ice (especially mountain glaciers) and the area of ocean ice is decreasing. At the same time, global climate change processes have their regional manifestations. Thus, since the second half of the 1970s the rate of temperature increase in Belarus was 0.6 degrees per 10 years. These figures are 3.5 times faster than the growth rate around the globe and almost 2 times faster than the land temperature change in the northern hemisphere," said the expert.

According to her, since the late 1980s, the change in air temperature was manifested in the growth of winter temperatures. But since the second half of the 1990s and early 2000s temperatures began to rise in summer, there was an increase in the number of hot days with temperatures of plus 25 degrees and above. In general, the maximum temperatures are increasing, and the duration of the seasons of the year is changing - the duration of summer is increasing and the time winter is shortening. The length of the growing season is also increasing and the winter heating season is shortening.

"As for the changes in the pattern of precipitation in the territory of Belarus, it increases in the cold season, and decreases in some months of the warm period of the year. Such trends are noted in June, August and September, which, along with rising temperatures, leads to an increase in dry conditions," said Natalia Klevets.

In the future, according to forecasts, these trends are expected to continue. Temperatures will rise, and by the end of the century, the average annual air temperature in Belarus could reach plus 10-12 degrees. In addition, between 2020 and 2040 the temperature across the globe will increase by 1.5 degrees. Thus, climate change will affect the environment, industries and public health. According to Belgidromet specialists, it is important to pay great attention to risk assessment from climate change, to develop strategies to adapt the economy, the environment and the population.