Europe Experiences Most Severe Heatwave on Record, Study Finds

Scientists Confirm Extreme June Temperatures Were Unlikely 50 Years Ago

A recent report by the World Weather Attribution group has found that the current extreme heatwave sweeping across Europe would have been “virtually impossible” half a century ago. The study, which analyzed nearly 850 cities in Europe, suggests that human-caused climate change is driving an increase in intense heat events.

The heatwave, which has seen daytime temperatures top 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in many places, marks the region’s most severe heatwave ever tracked for the month of June. According to the report, a similar heatwave occurring in the climate of June 1976 would have been about 3.5 degrees Celsius cooler.

The analysis also found that intense heat is increasing rapidly, with such events tens to hundreds of times more likely since 2003 and virtually impossible just 50 years ago. The study’s lead author, Theodore Keeping from Imperial College London, stated that the event “would not have been possible in June without climate change.”

The report highlights the impact of human-induced climate change on extreme weather events like heatwaves. With the planet having warmed about 1.4C above pre-industrial times, driven by the burning of coal, oil and gas, scientists agree that limiting warming is vital to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

According to Friederike Otto, cofounder of World Weather Attribution, the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels is “critical if we are to avoid even higher temperatures and their consequences in the future.” The June heatwave in Europe is the second such episode this year, following an early-season period of heat in May.

Source: Al Jazeera