Study links climate change to deadliest extreme weather events of the past 20 years

A new study by the World Weather Attribution network finds that climate change intensified the 10 deadliest extreme weather events from the past 20 years, resulting in over 576,000 deaths. This includes severe heat waves in 2022 and 2023. The research highlights that human activities, particularly fossil fuel use and deforestation, made these events more intense. The study analyzed various disasters, including cyclones, heat waves, droughts, and floods, confirming their links to climate change. The report emphasizes that many deaths were preventable and calls for improved early warning systems and better infrastructure to handle extreme weather. This marks the 10th anniversary of the WWA, which has published numerous studies on climate attribution.