Human emissions made deadly South American heat 100 times more likely

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