· 2 min read
illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Guardian or enjoy below
🗞️ Driving the news: Recent research by the World Weather Attribution points out that the deadly heat observed in central South America was made 100 times more likely because of human-made climate disruptions
🔭 The context: Central South America has been experiencing sweltering temperatures, exceeding 40C during the late winter and early spring in the southern hemisphere. While El Niño played a role, the primary cause has been identified as the human-driven climate crisis.
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The unseasonable warmth has caused devastating impacts in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay, affecting millions and resulting in numerous heat-related deaths, signaling a broader trend in rising global temperatures
⏭️ What's next: If global temperatures rise 2C above pre-industrial levels, heatwaves of similar intensity are anticipated every five or six years around the world, a trend linked to human activities amplifying the greenhouse effect
💬 One quote: “We want to be clear: a developing El Niño would have contributed some heat, but without climate change, spring heat this intense would have been extremely unlikely,” (Lincoln Muniz Alves, Brazil National Institute for Space Research)
📈 One stat: Current research indicates that due to human activities, temperatures during the recent heatwave were elevated by between 1.4C and 4.3C
Click for more news covering the latest on climate change
