Scientists Attribute Record-Breaking Heatwave in Philippines to Climate Crisis
The recent record-breaking heatwave that swept across the Philippines in April has been attributed to the climate crisis by scientists. The searing heat, with temperatures exceeding 40C (104F), had devastating effects across Asia, leading to deaths, water shortages, crop losses, and widespread school closures. This extreme heat event was made 45 times more likely in India and five times more likely in Israel and Palestine, highlighting the significant impact of human-caused global heating on extreme weather events.
A study conducted by scientists revealed that the high temperatures experienced in April exacerbated the already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where displaced people are living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to water. The study also found that the extreme heat event in the Philippines was 45 times more likely due to human-caused global heating, with only 1.2C of average heating above preindustrial levels over the past four years.
In addition to the heatwave in Asia, another “impossible” heatwave hit West Africa and the Sahel in late March, causing deaths and reaching temperatures as high as 48.5C in Mali. Previous research has suggested that millions of people have died prematurely due to extreme heat events over the past two decades, with heat-related deaths in Europe rising by 25% in the past decade.
The scientists involved in the study warned of even worse heatwaves to come if global temperatures continue to rise. If global temperatures reach 2C above preindustrial levels, similar extreme heat events to those experienced in April will be expected every two to three years in the Philippines and every five years in Israel, Palestine, and nearby countries. The study also highlighted the urgent need for global action to end fossil fuel burning and prevent further heating of the planet.
Dr. Friederike Otto from Imperial College London, part of the World Weather Attribution (WWA) study team, emphasized the role of emissions from oil, gas, and coal in driving the additional heat that is resulting in death for many people. Dr. Carolina Pereira Marghidan, a heat risk consultant at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, highlighted how the extreme heat compounded the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where displaced populations are already facing limited access to essential resources.
The study examined three regions that experienced extreme heat in April, showing that global heating made temperatures significantly hotter in Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Philippines. The researchers used weather data and climate models to compare the likelihood of heatwaves in today’s hotter climate with a climate without human-caused heating, finding that the current El Niño climate cycle had little effect on the increased likelihood of the heatwaves.
The study also emphasized the vulnerability of outdoor workers, farmers, street vendors, and those in informal housing to extreme heat events, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas with increased concrete and decreased green space. The need to improve heatwave early warning systems and planning programs was highlighted as a crucial step in mitigating the impacts of extreme heat events in the future.
Overall, the study underscores the urgent need for global action to reduce emissions and limit global warming to 1.5C to prevent even greater suffering from extreme heat events in Asia and around the world. The findings serve as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of the climate crisis and the importance of taking immediate and decisive action to address it.