Slovenia sees warmest year on record in 2023

LJUBLJANA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Last year, temperatures in Slovenia were the highest on record since measurements started, surpassing the previous record year of 2022, the country's Environment Agency (ARSO) said Wednesday.

It also said last summer was the third wettest in the country's history. It was marked by record floods, which killed six people and caused some 3 billion euros (3.3 billion U.S. dollars) worth of damage. By contrast, the summer of 2022 was the third driest ever experienced in Slovenia, sparking extensive wildfires.

The agency said Slovenian rivers had about a third more water last year than the average recorded over the past 30 years.

"Last year's extremes remind us that we have to take (environmental) matters seriously and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases very quickly if we want to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement," climatologist Gregor Vertacnik said.

The agency estimates that the average temperature in Slovenia could increase by 1 to 6 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, depending on the efficiency of measures taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Last year, the average temperature in Slovenia was 10.8 degrees Celsius, over 2 degrees higher than in 1970. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollar)