Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Poladova

Read more

The United Nations has warned that climate-related disasters are becoming a growing threat to humanity as a result of continued dependence on fossil fuels, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the latest UN data, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said the warning signs of climate disaster were now coming from all directions.

"The alarm bells on climate disaster are ringing from every direction. The terrible consequences of the climate crisis are reaching the level of national emergencies for both people and economies," Stiell said.

The UN noted that more than 250,000 hectares of forest have burned across Europe, with 1,254 fires recorded since the beginning of 2026. Record-breaking wildfires have affected France, Spain and other parts of Europe amid heatwaves, triggering mass evacuations and putting pressure on regional and national economies.

In North Africa, temperatures approaching 49 degrees Celsius are seriously threatening lives and livelihoods, while hospitals and energy systems are coming under severe strain. Deadly storms in Chile have destroyed homes and claimed lives, while temperatures in Japan have reached an unprecedented 40 degrees Celsius.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said reliable monitoring, forecasting, cross-border data sharing and early warning systems are essential to protecting lives, livelihoods and ecosystems.

It is worth adding that more than 330,000 people have been evacuated across Europe, while thousands of hectares of forest have been destroyed as a new wave of extreme heat threatens to undermine firefighters’ efforts to contain the blazes.

Europe could be heading toward its worst wildfire season on record. By the end of July, fires had already destroyed more than 250,000 hectares of land - an area roughly equivalent to the size of Luxembourg.

Image: AP