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FACT BRIEF

Did climate change contribute significantly to the July heatwave in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada?

By Seth Borenstein
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YES

The deadly heat wave was virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, according to an analysis by an international team of 27 scientists.

“Without climate change this event would not have happened,” said study senior author Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at the University of Oxford.

The July 7 study from the team, World Weather Attribution, calculated that climate change increased chances of the extreme heat occuring by at least 150 times, but likely much more.

The study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, also found that in the Pacific Northwest and Canada climate change was responsible for about 3.6 degrees (2 degrees Celsius) of the heat shock. The scientists used computer modeling and simulations, which is a well-established method to determine climate change’s role in extreme weather, according to the National Academy of Sciences.  

See a full discussion of this at The Associated Press
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
World Weather Attribution Initiative Western North American extreme heat virtually impossible without human-caused climate change
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The Associated Press
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.