The Copernicus Climate Change Service has revealed that January was the third warmest on record in Europe and 1.7°C warmer than normal in Belgium.
With New Year's Day setting record-high temperatures both in Belgium and even in the Swiss Alps, most will perhaps find it unsurprising that last month was one of the warmest ever recorded in Europe.
Indeed, Copernicus' data showed that last month's monthly average temperature was 2.2°C higher than usual, making it the third hottest Januarys ever recorded in Europe, behind only 2007 and 2020.
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Belgians were among those to feel the rise in temperatures, as last month's average rose by 1.7°C to reach 5.2°C. The abnormally warm month can be attributed to the first two weeks of January, which experienced a record-high average of 8.9°C.
As a result, Europe is once again having to deal with record-high temperatures due to climate change and record-high temperatures, having been below average and engulfed by a heatwave during the summer.
Belgium, in particular, faced its highest average temperature ever recorded last year and will perhaps look to perhaps improve its own climate policy, which was seen as "underperforming" by the CCPI in November.
