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2020s in climate history refers to major events pertaining to the climate, this includes extreme weather, as well as new scientific phenomena and occurrences which pertain to the climate. This article will be structured by category of data, and then chronologically within those broader sections.

Overview of climate topics

This section summarizes and delineates the scope of topics included under the broad heading of "climate."

Natural events

2022

Europe

United Kingdom

The 2022 United Kingdom heat wave was a period of unusually hot weather across much of the United Kingdom, reaching its expected peak with a heat wave from 17 to 20 July that reached temperatures of 40 degrees in parts of England on 19 July. It is part of the wider 2022 European heat waves. The Met Office released the first heat health warnings in response to rising temperatures on 8 July. On 15 July, it declared a national emergency as the UK's first red extreme heat weather warning was put in place for much of central and southern England.

The heat wave was unprecedented; the hottest temperature ever recorded in the UK was observed on 19 July 2022, exceeding 40 °C (104 °F) for the first time in British history and surpassing a previous record set in 2019.

The heat wave caused substantial disruptions to transportation and sparked wildfires in some parts of the country.

North America

The southwestern North American megadrought is an ongoing megadrought in the southwestern region of North America that began in 2000. At least 24 years in length, the drought is the driest multi-decade period the region has seen since at least 800 CE. The megadrought has prompted the declaration of a water shortage at Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. Climate change models project drier conditions in the region through the end of the 21st century, though climate change mitigation may avoid the most extreme impacts.

2023

Europe

Human activity

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, "COP26", was delayed for a year by the COVID-19 pandemic; it led to the Glasgow Climate Pact. Participating countries were expected to increase their pledged action towards climate change mitigation, as part of the conference's five-year 'ratchet mechanism'. China pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2060, and India by 2070. Countries that include 85% of the world's forests pledged to end deforestation by 2030. However, fossil fuel industry representatives formed the largest bloc at the conference, and India and China secured the change of a coal phase-out pledge to a "phasing down" of coal. Protests against the conference were the largest in the UK since the protests against the Iraq War, with criticisms of the pledges lacking accountability and not sufficiently or urgently addressing the climate crisis.

References

1. Simons, Paul. "This UK heatwave is not like the summer of 1976. We've never seen anything like it". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
2. "Heatwave latest: UK temperature tops 40C for first time on record". BBC News. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
3. Irina Ivanova (June 2, 2022). "California is rationing water amid its worst drought in 1,200 years". CBS News. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
4. Seth Borenstein, Associated Press science writer (May 28, 2022). "Weather's unwanted guest: Nasty La Niña keeps popping up". 9news.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2022. "Scientists are noticing that in the past 25 years the world seems to be getting more La Niñas than it used to…"
5. "Cop26 ends in climate agreement despite India watering down coal resolution". The Guardian. 13 November 2021. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
6. Bashir, Nada (2 October 2021). "John Kerry says emissions cuts are 'do-able' as ministers wrap last meeting ahead of COP26". CNN. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
7. "China's new climate plan falls short of Cop26 global heating goal, experts say". The Guardian. 28 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
8. "COP26: India PM Narendra Modi pledges net zero by 2070". BBC News. 2 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
9. ^ "COP26 pledge will see nations commit to ending deforestation by 2030". CBS News. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
10. "COP26: Fossil fuel industry has largest delegation at climate summit". BBC News. 8 November 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
11. "Last-minute coal compromise in climate deal disappoints many at COP26". CBC News. The Associated Press. 2021-11-13. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
12. "COP26: Thousands march for Glasgow's biggest protest". BBC News. 6 November 2021. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
13. "Climate change: What do scientists want from COP26 this week?". BBC News. 9 November 2021. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
14. "'COP26 is a failure': Thunberg leads youth from around the globe in Glasgow protests". ABC News. 5 November 2021. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.

• 2020s in the environment
• Climate history
• 2020s in history