Hot summer: “Athens is a major concern. The further south you go, the more serious the problem.”

University of Athens professor Costas Kartalis confirms the trend of “warmer summers,” meaning increasingly hot weather and long periods of heat waves.

“The further south you go, the more serious the problem. The larger the city and the more densely populated, the more aggressive the problem becomes and the stronger the impact of global climate change,” says the professor.

“However, there is no evidence to support reports that Greece will turn into the Sahara or that temperatures will match those in Brazil. But we should be concerned about the fact that the temperature is constantly rising,” he told ERTnews. “Cities need to be protected by more greenery, more insulated buildings, less vehicle traffic – measures that are not difficult to implement,” the professor said, citing research showing that Tourists also consider maximum safety before choosing a holiday destination.

“There is indeed climate instability that persists for several years, and this year has been even more intense: very warm conditions in the southernmost region of Europe and very cold in the northernmost. This instability caused the current winter, which may have been pleasant due to high temperatures (there was no cold). But this reveals an imbalance that will also affect the summer“, said the professor.

“Attention should be paid more to the southern regions of the country, where higher temperatures are systematically observed, as well as to regions where there are often more heat waves (καύσωνες). In Athens, unfortunately, in recent years the phenomenon is becoming increasingly common, which is a matter of serious concern“, emphasized Mr. Kartalis. “The question is to take the necessary measures. There should be less of everything that produces heat, and this should be organized for tourist areas,” the professor noted.

Recently, a major overseas travel research company conducted a study that showed that visitors to a country choose it not only because of the cost of airfare or accommodation, but also because of whether the area offers extreme weather events and how organized the fight against them is. This introduces new parameterwhich is a risk for some Greek regions, but it is also an opportunity to be more prepared and not lose tourists during the summer months.

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