Deadly Heatwave in West Africa and the Sahel: A severe heatwave struck West Africa and the Sahel region, with temperatures soaring above 48C in Mali last month. The extreme heat was linked to hundreds of deaths, particularly affecting southern Mali and Burkina Faso.
Role of Climate Change: Scientists assert that human-induced climate change made the heatwave "impossible," contributing to temperatures up to 1.4C hotter than usual. Activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation exacerbated the intensity of the heatwave.
Impact on Vulnerable Populations: The heatwave disproportionately affected vulnerable populations, with a significant number of casualties among those over 60 years old. Researchers emphasize that even a slight increase in temperature due to climate change can have life-threatening consequences.
Future Projections: While intense heatwaves remain relatively rare in the region, scientists anticipate their frequency to increase as the climate continues to warm. If global temperatures rise by 2C, such extreme heat events could occur every 20 years.
Drought in Southern Africa: In contrast to the West African heatwave, a serious drought in Southern Africa earlier this year was attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon rather than climate change. Low rainfall during the December-February period led to crop failures and water shortages, affecting millions of people.
El Niño's Influence: The El Niño event, characterized by upwelling of warm water in the Pacific, significantly reduced rainfall across Southern Africa. While climate change is expected to increase the frequency of droughts, the current drought was primarily driven by El Niño.
Combination of Factors: Attribution studies reveal that many extreme weather events result from a combination of climate change and natural climate phenomena like El Niño. While some events are predominantly influenced by one factor, others may involve complex interactions between multiple drivers.
Overall, the article underscores the interconnectedness of climate change, extreme weather events, and their impacts on vulnerable communities, highlighting the urgent need for mitigation and adaptation measures to address these challenges.
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