FRANKFURT, July 30 (Reuters) – German insurer Munich Re on Thursday warned of a “dangerous mix” that will push up temperatures in the months ahead, a forecast that comes as wildfires rage in France and Spain.
• The climate cycle known as El Nino – which changes temperatures and atmospheric conditions in the Pacific – threatens higher temperatures and extreme weather in many regions of the world, Munich Re said
• Tobias Grimm, Munich Re’s top climate scientist, said: “It’s a dangerous mix: as global warming continues, the world is also heading for a Super El Nino, which will drive temperatures up even further. The effects will likely be clearly felt in the second half of the year”
• In Australia, Central America and parts of Africa, El Nino can raise the risk of drought and fires
• It can lead to heavy rainfall elsewhere in places like South America and the United States
• “Current forecasts point to record-breaking El Nino conditions towards the end of the year,” Munich Re said
(Reporting by Tom SimsEditing by Ludwig Burger)
