The recent heatwave at the Paris Olympics, causing extreme discomfort for athletes and fans, has been linked to climate change, as concluded by leading climate scientists. A World Weather Attribution analysis revealed that the heatwave, which saw temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, was intensified by fossil fuel emissions, making the Mediterranean region between 2.5 to 3.3 degrees Celsius hotter.
Climate scientist Friederike Otto, from Imperial College London and co-founder of World Weather Attribution, highlighted the direct impact of climate change on the Olympics, noting that without the emissions from burning fossil fuels, Paris would have been about 3°C cooler. This temperature difference would have made the conditions much safer for athletes competing in the events.
Heatwave at Paris Olympics Linked to Climate Change, Scientists SayThe analysis by World Weather Attribution focused on the severe heat experienced across the Mediterranean in July, which resulted in at least 23 deaths and numerous forest fires. The intense heat has affected countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain, and Morocco, with Morocco reporting 21 deaths due to temperatures soaring to 48 degrees Celsius earlier in the month.
The findings emphasized that the extreme temperatures observed in July would have been nearly impossible without human-induced climate change. Heat waves, among the various extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change, are noted as the deadliest, causing significant harm and fatalities.
This heatwave in Southern Europe is part of a broader trend of rising global temperatures, with the past 13 months consecutively breaking previous heat records. World Weather Attribution warns that such extreme weather events, once considered rare, are now becoming increasingly common, likely to occur every 10 years.