WWA: European Heatwave virtually impossible just 50 years ago - comment

“That this week’s day and night-time temperatures in Europe’s heatwave would have been virtually impossible back in 1976 is a stark reminder of what our continued burning of oil, gas, and coal has done to knock our climate system out of balance. But in a sense this is just the beginning and until we reach net zero emissions, bringing our climate back into balance, the temperature records will continue to go up and up, and the impacts on our hospitals, the elderly and very young will be ever greater. Looking back, the 1976 heatwave was clearly a one-off, but scroll forwards to now, and the records continue to be broken.”