New National Academy of Sciences Climate Attribution Report Underscores How Climate Change Fuels Extreme Weather
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS)released a report todaysynthesizing decades of climate attribution research that underscores how heat-trapping emissions from burningfossil fuelsmakes different types. . .
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS)released a report todaysynthesizing decades of climate attribution research that underscores how heat-trapping emissions from burningfossil fuelsmakes different types ofextreme weathermore likely and/or severe. NAS conducted an overview of events likeextreme heat,drought,wildfires, tropical cyclones and convective storms. They also touch on event impact attribution, the leading edge of the field that quantifies howclimate changehas contributed to specific harms like increased human mortality and economic losses. The report and its contributors have beenattacked by the fossil fuel industryin the lead up to today’s release, the latest in a coordinated campaign byBig Oiltoundermine climate scienceandintimidate scientists. Companies like BP,Chevron,ExxonMobilandShellare facing mounting lawsuits aiming to hold them accountable for the climate damages caused by theirdecades-long disinformation campaign. In April, U. S. SenatorTed Cruzand Representative Harriet Hageman introduced a bill offeringsweeping immunityfrom liability to these major climate polluters. Below is a statement byDr. Carly Phillips, senior scientist at theUnion of Concerned Scientists(UCS) and co-author of multiple attribution studies, including onforest firesin the westernUnited Statesand globalsea level rise. “Attributionscienceconfirms what billions of people around the world have experienced firsthand—deadly events like extremeheatwavesare occurring more often and tropical cyclones are more intense due to climate change. Despite efforts by thefossil fuel industryand its cronies to intimidate panelists and misrepresent the research, the Academies’ report affirms the scientific consensus: attribution science is based on rigorous peer reviewed methods and provides critical information about how climate change is driving increases in the frequency and/or severity of extreme events. “This robust research field provides key evidence to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its role in driving climate change. Congress must not grant BigOilimmunity for climate deception and the harms they knowingly caused that attribution science makes evident. Communities deserve their day in court and no one—including fossil fuel companies that have profited at the expense of people and the planet—should be above the law. ”The attack on attribution science is part of a larger effort supported by theTrump administrationto eliminate states’ and communities’ ability to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its role in theclimate crisis, particularly through the courts. EPA Administrator Zeldin’s attack on theEndangerment Finding, a foundational scientific finding thatglobal warmingemissions endangerpublic healthand the environment and thus must be regulated by the EPA, also included baseless attacks on attribution science. To speak with Dr. Phillips, please reach out to UCS Communications Officer Daela Taeoalii-Tipton atdtaeoaliitipton@ucs. orgor 801-808-0759. Additional UCS resources:Peer-reviewed studytracing fossil fuel companies’ contribution to climate change and ocean acidificationPeer-reviewed studyattributing climate change and sea level rise to fossil fuel companiesBlog postexplaining attribution scienceBlog poston accurately communicating about attribution science