A new analysis has revealed that human-caused climate change intensified and increased the likelihood of the ten deadliest extreme weather events of the last two decades, resulting in over 570,000 fatalities across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The study, conducted by scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group at Imperial College London, reanalyzed data from devastating weather events, including heatwaves, floods, and storms, to discern the fingerprint of climate change.

According to Dr. Friederike Otto, co-founder and lead of WWA, "This study should be an eye-opener for political leaders hanging on to fossil fuels that heat the planet and destroy lives." She emphasized that continued reliance on oil, gas, and coal will only perpetuate suffering. The researchers focused on the deadliest weather events recorded in the International Disaster Database since 2004. The analysis found that climate change made the low rainfall that drove Somalia's 2011 drought, which killed over 250,000 people, more likely and extreme. Similarly, France's 2015 heatwave, which claimed over 3,000 lives, saw high temperatures made twice as likely by climate change. The European heatwaves of 2022 and 2023, resulting in 53,000 and 37,000 deaths, respectively, were also linked to climate change, with the latter deemed impossible without it.

Tropical cyclones in Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the Philippines, as well as floods in India, were all intensified by climate change. The study's findings underscore the devastating consequences of climate change, particularly in vulnerable, poorer nations. The actual death toll is likely significantly higher due to underreporting, especially in regions where heatwave-related fatalities often go unrecorded. This research builds on pioneering work by Dr. Otto and Dutch climatologist Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, who developed a method to track global warming's impact on catastrophic weather events. By repurposing atmospheric models, they can simulate weather patterns with and without the effects of human-induced climate change.

Roop Singh of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre warned that the massive death tolls seen in extreme weather events demonstrate that countries are not prepared for the current level of warming, let alone future increases. She emphasized the need for countries to build resilience to climate change, as "with every fraction of a degree of warming, we will see more record-breaking events that push countries to the brink". The study's conclusions serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for climate action, underscoring the imperative to transition away from fossil fuels and mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. As the world grapples with increasingly frequent and intense weather events, this research provides critical evidence of the human cost of climate inaction.