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More Extremely Hot Days
A Climate Central analysis of 241 U.S. locations shows that 195 (81%) have experienced an increase in the annual number of extremely hot days since 1970, with an average increase of 11 days. The report highlights that extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in the U.S. and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and people of color living in urban heat islands. Specific cities like Austin, Texas, and San Angelo, Texas, have seen significant increases of 47 and 39 additional extremely hot days annually, respectively.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Analysis: India’s fatal sweltering heat in June linked to climate change
The report finds that a three-day extreme heat event in Uttar Pradesh from June 14-16, 2023, was made at least two times more likely by human-caused climate change, with some areas seeing a three-fold increase in likelihood. The event resulted in at least 34 fatalities in Ballia and led to school closures in Bihar. The analysis highlights that the combination of extreme heat and high humidity increased the severity of the event, following a previous humid heat wave in April 2023 that was made over 30 times more likely by climate change.
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Document type: Report
The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in Arizona
The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis finds that 48% of the rise in fire-danger conditions in western North America since 1901 and 37% of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 are attributable to emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers. In Arizona, over 10,000 wildfires burned nearly 2.5 million acres between 2017 and 2021, with the 2020 Bighorn Fire alone costing over $36 million. The document argues for holding these companies accountable and urges state governments to implement policies for forest health, community safety, and equitable resilience investments.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in California
The document argues that major carbon producers are responsible for a significant portion of the increasing wildfire risk in western North America. It attributes 48% of the rise in fire-danger conditions since 1901 and 37% of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 to emissions from 88 major fossil fuel and cement companies. In California, wildfires between 2017 and 2021 caused over $21 billion in economic damages and released an average of 53 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent annually. The report calls for corporate accountability, legal access to justice, and state-level policies to reduce emissions, improve forest health, and protect vulnerable communities.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in Colorado
The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis attributes 48 percent of the rise in fire-danger conditions in western North America since 1901 and 37 percent of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 to emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel and cement companies. In Colorado, over 5,000 wildfires burned more than 1 million acres between 2017 and 2021, including the record-breaking 2020 Cameron Peak Fire. The document argues that these companies should be held accountable for the costs of climate change and recommends that state governments implement policies to reduce human-ignited fires, increase forest health resources, and protect vulnerable communities.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires
The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that 37% of the cumulative burned forest area in western North America since 1986 is attributable to emissions from 88 of the world's largest carbon producers. The report links these emissions to a rise in vapor pressure deficit (VPD), which increases atmospheric 'thirst' and dries out vegetation, thereby amplifying wildfire risk. It argues that these corporations should be held legally and financially accountable for climate damages, including the costs of wildfire suppression and recovery.
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Document type: Report
The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in New Mexico
The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis finds that emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers are responsible for 48 percent of the rise in fire-danger conditions in western North America since 1901 and 37 percent of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986. In New Mexico, over 4,000 wildfires burned more than 800,000 acres between 2017 and 2021, with the 2022 Calf Canyon/Hermit’s Peak Fire becoming the state's largest on record. The document argues that these companies should be held accountable for the costs of climate change and recommends that state governments implement policies to reduce human-ignited fires, increase forest health resources, protect community health, and prioritize equitable investments for low-income communities.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in Oregon
The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis attributes 48 percent of the rise in fire-danger conditions in western North America since 1901 and 37 percent of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 to emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers. In Oregon, over 10,000 wildfires burned nearly 3.7 million acres between 2017 and 2022, including the 2021 Bootleg Fire which burned more than 400,000 acres. The document argues that these companies should be held accountable for the costs of climate change and wildfire resilience, and recommends state-level policies to reduce human-ignited fires, improve forest health, and protect vulnerable communities.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in Washington
The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis finds that 48% of the rise in fire-danger conditions in western North America since 1901 and 37% of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 are attributable to emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers. In Washington state, nearly 8,000 wildfires burned over 2.5 million acres between 2017 and 2022. The document argues for holding these companies accountable and urges state governments to implement resilience-building policies, including reducing human-ignited fires, improving forest health, and protecting vulnerable communities.
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Document type: Fact sheet
365 Days on a Warming Planet
Climate Central's global analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) found that 96% of the world's population—7.6 billion people—experienced daily temperatures made warmer by human-caused climate change between October 2021 and September 2022. The study identifies the strongest influences in regions near the equator and on small islands, with Lagos, Mexico City, and Singapore emerging as the highest hotspots of human exposure when accounting for urban population. The analysis also pinpointed peak continental CSI days, noting that these do not always coincide with major heat waves.
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Document type: Report
Summer 2022 in Review
Summer 2022 was the third hottest on record for the contiguous U.S., with significant influence from climate change on both daytime and nighttime temperatures. Using the Climate Shift Index, the analysis shows that nearly half of the contiguous U.S. experienced 15 or more days where average temperatures were at least twice as likely due to climate change. The period was also marked by extreme precipitation in Missouri and Kentucky, widespread wildfires burning over 6.7 million acres, and severe drought affecting 94% of Hawaii and 85 consecutive weeks in Puerto Rico.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Warm Summer Nights
Since 1970, average summer nights in the contiguous U.S. have warmed by 2.5°F, with nighttime temperatures warming nearly twice as fast as daytime temperatures since 1895. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), Climate Central finds that climate change makes warm summer nights significantly more likely than warm days, posing health risks and increasing cooling costs.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Rapid attribution analysis of the extraordinary heatwave on the Pacific Coast of the US and Canada June 2021
The report concludes that the June 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave was virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, estimating it as a 1-in-1000 year event in the current climate. The analysis indicates the event was approximately 2°C hotter than it would have been in a pre-industrial climate and would have been at least 150 times rarer without anthropogenic warming. Future projections suggest that in a world with 2°C of global warming, such an event would occur every 5 to 10 years and be another degree hotter. Meteorological drivers included an 'omega-block' high-pressure system and dry antecedent soil conditions, while natural variability modes like ENSO and PDO played little to no role.
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Document type: Research paper
Human contribution to record-breaking June 2019 heatwave in France
The analysis concludes that human-induced climate change has made the June 2019 heatwave in France more likely and more intense. Observational data suggests that a heatwave of this intensity is occurring at least 10 times more frequently today than a century ago, with temperatures approximately 4C higher. While climate models qualitatively agree on the strong human influence, they show smaller trends and fewer severe heatwaves than observations, simulating a probability increase of between a factor of 2 and 20. The study emphasizes that early-season heatwaves in June have more severe health and organizational impacts than mid-summer events.
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Document type: Research paper
Joint Summary of the Amicus Curiae Briefs submitted in support of Petitioners, Greenpeace Southeast Asia et al.
The document argues that the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines has the jurisdiction to investigate the 'Carbon Majors'—major fossil fuel companies—for their role in driving climate change and subsequent human rights violations. It asserts that these companies knew of the climate risks associated with their products for decades but promoted misinformation. The briefs argue that climate change threatens fundamental rights in the Philippines, including the rights to life, health, food, and water, and that these companies should be held accountable under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the 'Polluter Pays' principle.
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Document type: Legal commentary
The stormy month of January 2018 over Western Europe
The study concludes that human-induced climate change had no significant influence on the occurrence of Storms Eleanor and Friederike. While observational data from the past 40 years show a decrease in near-surface wind speeds, climate models suggest a marginal increase in the probability of extreme hourly winds (0-20%) by the middle of the century due to greenhouse gases. The observed decline in storminess is attributed to factors other than climate change, such as increased surface roughness, aerosols, and decadal variability.
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Document type: Research paper
Euro-Mediterranean heat summer 2017
The summer of 2017 saw extreme heat across Southern Europe, including the 'Lucifer' heat wave in early August. World Weather Attribution analysis indicates that human-induced climate change significantly increased the likelihood of these events. A summer as hot as 2017 is now estimated to have a 1 in 10 annual chance in the Euro-Mediterranean region and is projected to become normal weather by the middle of the century under continued greenhouse gas emissions.
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Document type: Research paper
10 key signs of climate change
The document outlines twelve key signs of climate change, including rising global, ocean, and soil temperatures, increasing ocean acidity, and rising sea levels. It attributes these phenomena to the buildup of heat-trapping gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of tropical forests. The text highlights specific regional impacts, such as the rapid warming of the Gulf of Maine and the thawing of permafrost in the Arctic, and notes the resulting increase in extreme weather events and shifts in species ranges.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The role of climate change and La Niña in the ongoing Somalia drought: A rapid analysis
The analysis concludes that the 2016 drought in Somalia and Somaliland was primarily driven by natural variability and La Niña rather than climate change. While the autumn rains failed in both regions—representing a once-a-century event in Somaliland—climate change had a small effect on these dry extremes. La Niña increased the probability of a dry season and accounted for approximately one third of the precipitation deficit, though it was not well-predicted by seasonal forecast models.
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Document type: Executive summary
Heat wave in Phalodi, India, 19 May 2016
On 19 May 2016, Phalodi, India, recorded an all-time record high temperature of 51°C. An analysis by the Raising Risk Awareness Project found that while annual mean temperatures across India are increasing and heat waves in some small areas are becoming more frequent and intense, human-induced climate change did not play a detectable role in this specific event or a similar one in Andhra Pradesh in May 2015. The study suggests this lack of a detectable trend might be caused by irrigation use and the masking effect of aerosols on warming.
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Document type: Case study