Severe heat waves in North America, Europe, and China have caused widespread chaos. These high temperatures have led to water shortages, forest fires, and hospital admissions for heat-related illnesses. The World Weather Attribution study found that these occurrences would become “extremely rare” if not for human-caused climate change.
The increase in greenhouse gases is the root cause of the extra heat. With extended periods of extreme heat occurring every two to five years if global average temperatures rise 2C above pre-industrial levels. Researchers like Friederike Otto predict that these extremes will increase over time as we consume fossil fuels.
July’s deadly heat waves and other extreme events are solely attributable to climate change
The increase in greenhouse gases was the root cause of the extra heat, even though El Nino may have played a role in some areas.
Human-caused climate change : Reason for Heat Waves
Scientists have stated that the severe heat waves that have spread throughout North America, Europe, and China this month are “completely overpowering” because of human-caused climate change.
Extreme weather in July created havoc
Extreme weather created havoc globally in July. Breaking records for temperature in China, the US, and southern Europe. These unusually high temperatures have caused water shortages, forest fires, and hospital admissions for heat-related illnesses. A record-breaking heatwave over the weekend set off wildfires that forced thousands of tourists to leave the Greek island of Rhodes.
World Weather Attribution study
The World Weather Attribution, an international group of scientists that grazes how climate change affects extreme weather occurrences, carried out this study. The study claims these occurrences would ultimately become “extremely rare” if not for human-caused climate change.
The study calculated that the European heatwave was 2.5 degrees Celsius hotter than it would have been without rising greenhouse gas concentrations. Additionally, they raised the heatwaves in China by 1C and 2C in North America.
Izidine Pinto’s remark on Heat Waves
During a press conference, one of the study’s authors, Izidine Pinto of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, said that the conditions encountered in Europe and North America would seem “almost impractical” without the impact of climate change.
He continued by saying that climate change raised the likelihood of the Chinese heatwave by about 50 times.
Heat Waves damaged crops and killed off livestock
In addition to harming human health, the heatwaves have significantly damaged crops and killed off livestock. Southern European olives, Chinese cotton, Mexican cattle, and US corn and soybean crops have all suffered significant losses.
The root cause of the extra heat
The increase in greenhouse gases was the root cause of the extra heat, even though El Nino may have played a role in some areas. Scientists calculated that extended periods of extreme heat are likely to happen every two to five years if worldwide average temperatures rise 2C above pre-industrial levels. The current average temperature appears to have surged by more than 1.1C.
Friederike Otto’s research
At the briefing, Friederike Otto, a researcher with the Grantham Institute for Climate Change in London, highlighted that these occurrences are not unusual in the current climate. She told Reuters, “We will see increasing amounts of these extremes over time as we continue to consume fossil fuels.”
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