A heat dome caused by climate change has raised temperatures to dangerous levels at the Paris Olympics, affecting athletes and spectators alike.
Damian Carrington reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- A rapid analysis shows the heat dome over Europe and North Africa, which is affecting the Paris Olympics, would not have been possible without human-caused global warming.
- Scientists report that carbon emissions have raised temperatures by 2.5C to 3.3C, making extreme heat events more frequent and expected every decade.
- Olympic athletes struggle with the heat, while Mediterranean residents without cooling options face health risks, with extreme temperatures causing increased premature deaths.
Key quote:
“Climate change crashed the Olympics on Tuesday. The world watched athletes swelter in 35C heat.”
— Dr. Friederike Otto, climatologist, Imperial College London
Why this matters:
The intensifying heatwave illustrates how global warming is not a distant threat but an immediate danger impacting lives worldwide. As fossil fuel emissions persist, extreme weather events will worsen, threatening human health and safety globally.
