From soaring prices to fires and the reign of Elizabeth II. A look back at 2022 in ten records.
price peak
Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine sent energy and food prices soaring: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) food price index hit an all-time high in March, as did Europe’s gas price.
This led to an increase in inflation throughout the year, for example at +10.6% in October over a year in the euro area, ie the strongest increase since the start of this index in 1997.
stream of refugees
The war in Ukraine has led to the largest flow of refugees to Europe since the end of World War II: more than six million to neighboring countries and eight million internally displaced, the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated in May. The number of people uprooted worldwide has passed the 100 million mark for the first time.
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heat waves and fires
The year was marked by new climate records: In Europe, the summer was the hottest of all time and the areas destroyed by fire were the largest at more than 600,000 hectares. Global CO2 emissions of fossil origin have never been higher than in 2022.
rocket rain
In response to the largest joint air exercises ever conducted by South Korea and the United States, North Korea sent a record volley of missiles into the Sea of Japan in November, including a peak of 23 launches in 24 hours on November 2.
Unconventional domination and funeral
Seventy years of reign, seven years longer than her great-great-grandmother Victoria: The life of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8 at the age of 96, was extraordinary, as was her funeral in London. Crowds estimated at a quarter of a million lined up for miles to pay their respects and march past his coffin in Westminster.
Elon Musk, billions and a fiasco
The richest man in the world with a fortune estimated by Forbes at almost $199 billion at the end of 2022, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, notable for his about-face on Twitter, which he finally cashed in October $44 billion. Since then, it has put the social network in a dangerous position, alienating advertisers, (former) employees and regulators.
record auction
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s art collection was auctioned in New York in November for a record $1.62 billion, featuring paintings by Georges Seurat, Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh and Gustav Klimt. Another sign of strength in the art market, a portrait of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol became the most expensive work of art of the 20th century in May: $195 million.
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At the top of world tennis
With his 14th win at Roland-Garros in June, Spaniard Rafael Nadal improved his record of major titles among men’s tennis players: 22 Grand Slam tournaments, ahead of Serbian Novak Djokovic (21 titles) and Switzerland’s Roger Federer (20 ). , who retired in September.
American Serena Williams, also eliminated in September, surpasses those three champions with 23 Grand Slam titles.
Fins for Taylor Swift
The October release of Taylor Swift’s tenth album, Midnights, caused blackouts on Spotify and broke the record for the most listened to in a single day. Ten songs from the album made the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time. According to the marketing agency Yard, the US singer also won the award for “most polluting celebrity of the year” because of her numerous private jet flights.
eight billion people
According to the United Nations, the world population exceeded 8 billion in mid-November. An “unprecedented growth” when there were only 2.5 billion people in 1950.