The Philippines was ravaged by a record-breaking heatwave in April, and scientists have found that it would have been impossible without the climate crisis. The temperatures soared above 40C (104F) across Asia, causing devastating consequences such as deaths, water shortages, crop losses, and widespread school closures. The heat was not limited to the Philippines, as it also hit India, Israel, and Palestine, with the scientists concluding that global heating made it 45 times more likely in India and five times more likely in Israel and Palestine.
The extreme heatwave compounded the already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where displaced people are living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to water. The situation was further exacerbated by the lack of recreational spaces and green areas in the cities, making outdoor workers such as farmers and street vendors particularly vulnerable. The heat also trapped people in their homes, causing a sense of claustrophobia and desperation.
The researchers examined three areas that suffered extreme heat in April, including Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, as well as the Philippines. They found that global heating made temperatures 1.7C hotter in the Middle Eastern region and 1C hotter in the Philippines, where 4,000 schools were closed and portable pools were set up to help people cool down.
The study used weather data and climate models to compare the likelihood of heatwaves in today’s hotter climate and in a climate without human-caused heating. The results showed that the current El Niño climate cycle, which raises global temperatures, had very little effect on the increased likelihood of the heatwaves. Instead, it was the human-caused global heating that was the driving force behind the extreme temperatures.
Philippines HeatwaveThe scientists warned of worse to come, with global temperature rises potentially reaching 2C in the future. If this happens, they expect repeats of April’s extreme heat to become a regular occurrence in the Philippines and other parts of Asia, with heatwaves becoming more frequent and intense. The world’s top climate scientists have also predicted that if global emissions continue to rise, the planet will experience at least 2.5C of heating, leading to even greater suffering and devastating consequences.
Dr. Friederike Otto, part of the World Weather Attribution study team, stressed that the additional heat, driven by emissions from oil, gas, and coal, is resulting in death for many people. Carolina Pereira Marghidan, a heat risk consultant at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, agreed, saying that the heat compounded an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with displaced populations having limited to no access to food, water, healthcare, and living in overcrowded shelters that trap heat or living outdoors.
The study highlights the urgent need for action to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. As Dr. Mariam Zachariah said, “Unless the world takes massive, unprecedented steps to reduce emissions and keep warming to 1.5C, extreme heat will lead to even greater suffering in Asia.”