Canada’s June Heat Wave Linked to Climate Change

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The scientific community has increasingly linked extreme weather events to human-caused climate change, with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) asserting that human activities have unequivocally caused global warming.

Why it matters: Understanding the links between climate change and extreme weather is crucial for preparing and protecting Canadians from future events, as well as informing effective mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The details:

• In June 2024, Canada experienced unprecedented heat waves, with temperatures soaring across the nation and over 100 locations breaking heat records.
• For the first time, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) used the June heat wave data to establish a direct link to climate change through its Rapid Extreme Event Attribution system.
• ECCC’s attribution analysis confirmed that climate change has increased the probabilities of such extreme heat events.
• The impacts of climate change are far-reaching, with an estimated 6.8 billion people experiencing at least 31 days of extreme heat globally, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.

Despite the evidence, some political leaders remain skeptical about the role of human activity in driving climate change.

What they’re saying:

• “It doesn’t matter how much we try to reduce carbon, it is not going to change the weather.” – John Rustad, B.C. Conservative Leader
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been promoting fossil fuels and attacking what she calls “climate alarmism.”

This alarming data should prompt urgent action, with all countries, including Canada, needing to take greater measures to combat climate change.

The other side: Some argue that the evidence of climate change impacts on extreme weather events is not as conclusive as claimed, citing data on wildfires, droughts, and floods in Canada.

What’s next: Canada must work towards achieving its emissions reduction targets, with the federal government legally bound to deliver under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act by December 1, 2023. Advances in technology, such as solar power and batteries, make the necessary changes possible and realistic.

Full story

The June 2024 heat wave in Canada has sparked a significant development in the field of climate science.

“These are varying degrees of climate science denial in the mainstream of Canadian politics and all of it ignores factual reality, starting with the mountains of evidence produced by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.” #cdnpoli https://t.co/kxtilcP0tT

— MP Ryan Turnbull 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@TurnbullWhitby) July 23, 2024

For the first time, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has directly linked the extreme weather event to human-caused climate change using its Rapid Extreme Event Attribution system. The ECCC’s attribution analysis confirmed that climate change has increased the probabilities of such extreme heat events.

We Don't Need No Stinking Science
Climate Fueled Extreme Weather, Part 4https://t.co/DKIkhJ1lGd pic.twitter.com/BBTW2DxqNB

— The Honest Broker (@RogerPielkeJr) July 22, 2024

These findings highlight the urgent need for improved adaptation strategies to address the changing climate and protect Canadians from future extreme weather events. The impacts of climate change are far-reaching, affecting every region and all aspects of human life.

June heat wave attribution analysis

There is no human climate niche

“There is, in our assessment, no universal, timeless, climatically determined envelope within which, and only within which, humans can live and thrive—and claims that there does exist such an envelope are dangerous.”https://t.co/8sUrbqARPM

— The Honest Broker (@RogerPielkeJr) July 21, 2024

According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, an estimated 6.8 billion people experienced at least 31 days of extreme heat globally, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. In Europe, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that all governments must adopt more rigorous measures to combat climate change and that citizens can hold their governments accountable for their actions or inaction. The ECCC’s attribution program will provide critical information for real-time climate action, helping climate experts and the public design and implement more effective strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Rapid attribution analysis is proving that there's no more room for climate denial. We need ambitious and effective climate policies like an oil & gas #EmissionsCap now. #cdnpoli https://t.co/15olVq5vC1

— West Coast Environmental Law (@WCELaw) July 22, 2024

As Canada continues to grapple with the realities of a warming world, understanding the links between human activities and extreme weather events will be fundamental in building resilient communities and safeguarding the future. Gordon McBean, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Geography and Environment at Western University, emphasizes the importance of these findings in preparing and protecting Canadians from the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events.