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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Damian Carrington Environment editor

Carbon emissions from oil giants directly linked to dozens of deadly heatwaves for first time

A woman using a fan.
Global heating is making heatwaves more frequent and more intense across the globe Photograph: Salas/EPA

Carbon emissions from the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies have been directly linked to dozens of deadly heatwaves for the first time, according to a new analysis. The research has been hailed as a “leap forward” in the legal battle to hold big oil accountable for the damages being caused by the climate crisis.

The research found that the emissions from any one of the 14 biggest companies were by themselves enough to cause more than 50 heatwaves that would otherwise have been virtually impossible. The study shows, in effect, that those emissions caused the heatwaves.

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