BRUSSELS — Human-made climate change made the July heat wave that blanketed Norway, Sweden and Finland 10 times more likely and 2 degrees Celsius hotter, according to a scientific report published Thursday.
“However, this is likely an underestimate,” said the researchers from the World Weather Attribution, a group of climate scientists that draft rapid analyses showing climate change’s role in extreme weather events.
The findings, which used peer-reviewed methods and models to compare the recent heat wave to the pre-Industrial Revolution world, come after the Nordic countries spent two weeks in mid-July grappling with abnormally hot temperatures for the region.
Health care and social services were strained, with some hospitals canceling surgeries and struggling to keep their buildings cool. It was also peak holiday season, leaving health care facilities operating with reduced staffing.
