TROPICAL NIGHTS
South Korea also experienced the longest stretch of tropical nights on record, averaging 20.2 days for the June to August period – triple the previous average of 6.5 days, the KMA said in a press release.
The phenomenon of “tropical nights” refers to nights when the temperature does not fall below 25 degrees Celsius.
“With a consistent influx of hot and humid air carried by southwesterly winds, tropical nights occurred without a drop in night-time temperatures,” the KMA said.
Seoul, the capital of around 10 million, shattered its previous record and experienced 39 consecutive tropical nights this summer, far surpassing the previous high of 26 days.
The European Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the global average temperature from July 2023 to June 2024 was the highest ever recorded.
According to the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the number of days with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius in the world’s largest capital cities has surged by 52 per cent over the past 30 years.
Scientists stress that frequent heatwaves are a hallmark of global warming, driven by climate change.
Last week, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled that much of the country’s climate goals were unconstitutional, handing a landmark victory to young environmental activists, and forcing the government to revise its climate targets.
The plaintiffs had argued that unless Seoul moved more quickly on climate goals, future generations would not only have to live in a degraded environment, but also have to bear the burden of undertaking massive greenhouse gas reductions.
This, the case claims, would mean that the state has violated its duty to protect their fundamental rights.
