The extreme heatwave in the American Southwest this month “would have been virtually impossible” without climate change caused by humans burning fossil fuels, scientists said Tuesday. Experts with the World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group said in a report that the same is true of terrifying heatwaves affecting Europe and parts of China. Simultaneous record-breaking temperatures like those seen in Death Valley in California and in northwest China—both of which recorded highs over 122F—are now expected to occur “once every 15 years in the US/Mexico region, once every 10 years in Southern Europe, and once in 5 years for China.” “Unless the world rapidly stops burning fossil fuels, these events will become even more common and the world will experience heatwaves that are even hotter and longer-lasting,” the report added. “A heatwave like the recent ones would occur every 2-5 years in a world that is 2°C [35.6F] warmer than the preindustrial climate.”
