This summer, the northern hemisphere witnessed a relentless onslaught of extreme weather events, including scorching heatwaves, destructive wildfires, relentless rainfall, and powerful typhoons and hurricanes.

Although not every single event can be directly attributed to climate change due to the complexities of natural weather patterns, a disturbing trend of breaking meteorological records has emerged in recent weeks, raising alarm among climate experts.

For instance, the UK experienced its hottest June on record, with a staggering 74% of areas breaking heat records. This unusual heatwave continued into July, leading to a historic global record for the hottest day ever recorded. Meanwhile, the Mediterranean region endured relentless heatwaves, symbolically named Cerberus and Caronte after figures in Greek mythology.

Greece faced a dire situation with wildfires emitting a substantial amount of carbon dioxide, equivalent to London's emissions in almost two weeks. Italy saw a widespread red alert with temperatures surpassing 40°C, impacting both locals and tourists.

In China and the Philippines, a destructive typhoon named Doksuri led to evacuations and severe flooding.

More than a million people had to leave their homes as winds reached 240km/h. China also witnessed record-breaking rainfall, further highlighting the intensity of these weather events.

Canada grappled with a devastating wildfire season, consuming an area larger than New York state or England. Climate change played a role in making these wildfires more likely and intense by drying out vegetation and altering snowmelt patterns.

Hawaii experienced a deadly wildfire fueled by drought conditions and hurricane-related winds. The intricate relationship between human systems and land management in Hawaii makes it challenging to pinpoint the sole role of climate change in this event.

The summer also brought an unusual tropical storm to California, emphasizing the potential influence of climate change on extreme weather events.

Throughout these events, it's clear that human responses to such crises are crucial. Calls from the UN and climate scientists have urged governments to fulfill their commitments to combat climate change urgently.

In essence, this summer serves as a stark preview of what's to come as climate change continues to worsen, making it imperative for nations to take action to mitigate its effects.