Europe heatwave "virtually impossible" without climate change, scientists say

Europe’s record-breaking June heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without human-driven climate change, according to a new scientific analysis.

The study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), a research network that examines the influence of climate change on extreme weather events, described the ongoing heatwave as the continent’s “most severe ever recorded,” CNN reports.

Large parts of Europe have experienced exceptionally high temperatures this week as a persistent heat dome trapped hot air over the region. Several countries have recorded unprecedented temperatures, with France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Switzerland all setting new June heat records.

Researchers analysed the three hottest days and nights of the heatwave across a wide area of Europe and compared them with similar events in 1976 and 2003, when global temperatures were lower.

They found that both daytime and nighttime temperatures seen during the current heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” 50 years ago.

According to the study, the Earth has warmed by nearly 1.1 degrees Celsius over the past five decades, significantly increasing the likelihood of extreme heat events. Scientists estimated that a comparable heatwave occurring in June 1976 would have been around 3.5 degrees Celsius cooler.

The report also highlighted unusually high nighttime temperatures. France recorded its hottest night on record between June 24 to 25, while researchers found that extreme nighttime heat in Europe is now about 100 times more likely than during the deadly 2003 heatwave.

Scientists examined conditions in 854 cities across 30 European countries and found that 45% had either broken or were close to breaking records for wet bulb globe temperature, a measure of heat stress that combines temperature, humidity, sunlight and wind.

“This summer shows that at 1.4 degrees Celsius of global warming, extreme heat is already reaching the limits of our societies’ ability to cope,” the scientists wrote.

The heatwave has already had significant impacts across the continent. Spain reported more than 200 heat-related deaths over four days, according to estimates from the country's mortality monitoring system. In France, at least 48 people drowned while seeking relief from the high temperatures over the past week.

The extreme weather has also led to school closures, disruptions to rail services, power outages and the temporary closure of tourist attractions.

Scientists warned that Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, is likely to experience more frequent, intense and prolonged heatwaves unless greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced.

“It’s really now a question of what kind of future we want for ourselves, and whether we’re willing to do what it takes to secure it,” said Friederike Otto, a professor of climate science at Imperial College London.

By Aghakazim Guliyev