Comment on climate attribution study for European floods

Commenting on the research by World Weather Attribution (WWA) [study found here], Richard Black, director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said: “The ability to analyse scientifically whether man-made climate change has played a role in specific extreme weather events is advancing at a startling pace. Until very recently, scientists weren’t able to make this sort of judgement, but that’s changing fast.

“Within the last year or so we’ve learned that climate change made both last year’s European heatwave and last December’s extreme rainfall in parts of the UK more likely; and now scientists conclude man-made climate change probably almost doubled the likelihood of the recent French floods.

“This kind of information is really useful. It helps civil authorities plan for increasing extreme weather events of the future, and shows policymakers the increased risks that lie ahead if they choose not to curtail greenhouse gas emissions.”

A similar study on climate change attribution showed that man-made climate change made December’s record UK rainfall 50-75% more likely: http://www.climateprediction.net/man-made-climate-change-as-important-as-natural-variability-in-decembers-record-rains/

ENDS