Scientists Directly Link Heat Waves too emissions from Specific Fossil fuel Companies
WASHINGTON – A new study has established a direct connection between greenhouse gas emissions from specific fossil fuel companies and the increasing frequency and intensity of deadly heat waves around the world.Researchers have identified both major and lesser-known fossil fuel producers whose emissions can be statistically linked to extreme heat events, offering a novel approach to climate attribution.
The research, led by Yann Quilcaille, a climate scientist at ETH Zürich, builds on the growing field of attribution science, which traditionally focuses on linking climate change generally to extreme weather. This study goes further, pinpointing the contributions of individual companies to specific heat waves. “While some of the contributions to heat waves came from larger well-known fossil fuel companies, the study found that some smaller, lesser-known fossil fuel companies are producing enough greenhouse gas emissions to cause heat waves too,” Quilcaille said in an email.
The findings arrive at a critical juncture for U.S. climate policy, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering rolling back the “endangerment finding” – the scientific basis for regulating climate pollution from sources including coal and gas-fired power plants, cars and trucks, and the oil and gas industry.The trump administration is seeking to halt federal regulation of climate pollution altogether.
According to the study, the link between emissions and heat waves demonstrates the real-world consequences of continued fossil fuel production. “they think these emissions don’t actually have societal consequences and Yann’s research and Sonia’s research here shows – very clearly – that these emissions have an undeniable impact on society,” said researcher Jessica Mankin. “It’s a deleterious, harmful impact, enhancing the likelihood and magnitude of extreme heat.”
The EPA declined to directly address whether it acknowledges the endangerment posed by greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, stating in an email that the agency is “considering a variety of sources and information in assessing whether the predictions made, and assumptions used, in the 2009 Endangerment Finding are accurate.” The agency noted that the public comment period for proposed changes is currently open.
This research underscores the tangible and escalating risks associated with greenhouse gas emissions,providing further evidence against arguments that such emissions are not harmful to society. The study’s findings are expected to fuel debate as policymakers weigh the future of climate regulations in the United States.
