Turkey broke a new heat record with 49.5°C recorded on Tuesday in the province of Eskişehir in the middle of the country.
Environment Minister Mehmet Özhaseki confirmed the record temperature on the social network X (formerly Twitter). The previous record of 49.1°C dated back to July 2021, according to the politician.
Turkey, which is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2053. In light of the scorching temperatures, Özhaseki reminded everyone to be "mindful of the 2053 Net Zero Emission and Green Development targets set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to combat climate change."
The country is currently experiencing a heatwave with temperatures 11°C above the usual average.
The phenomenon has its roots in climate change, explains meteorology professor Baris Önol at Istanbul Technical University. He claims that Turkey will be more exposed to high temperatures over the next 30 to 40 years, as will the rest of the Mediterranean region.
