The UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on August 11th pointed out that some regions of Europe, where global warming is currently progressing most rapidly, are experiencing their fifth heatwave this summer and are facing droughts, wildfires, and record-breaking high temperatures. It states that such extreme and unusual weather is due to multiple factors such as global warming and persistent high-pressure systems, and is not caused by the El Niño phenomenon. At a press conference on the same day, a WMO climate information officer explained that the current high temperature trend in Europe is the result of the interaction between persistent high-pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere and global warming. The officer stated that the high pressure systems cause warm air to stagnate, reduce cloud cover, and prevent the influx of cold air, leading to the accumulation of heat over several days to weeks in many areas. The officer also specifically pointed out that the current state of the tropical Pacific is "neutral," and therefore, this year's heatwave in Europe is not due to the El Niño phenomenon. (Provided by CGTN Japanese)