Fossil fuel firms worsened 213 heat waves, study finds
A new study in Nature shows that emissions from fossil fuel companies made 213 major heat waves—including events like the 2013 China heat wave and the 2021 Pacific Northwest "heat dome"—much worse.
Nearly a quarter of these extreme events would have been almost impossible without pollution from major oil, coal, and cement producers.
Major fossil fuel producers' role in global heat waves
Researchers found that emissions from companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and BP contributed to some of the most extreme heat waves.
By comparing climate data with and without these companies' emissions, they demonstrated the significant role of major fossil fuel producers in making global heat waves more frequent and severe.
Legal implications and need for stronger emissions rules
Both large and small fossil fuel companies contributed to deadly climate-driven disasters—leading to nearly half a million heat-related deaths each year between 2000-2019.
The findings add weight to legal cases against these firms and highlight why stronger rules on greenhouse gas emissions are urgently needed to protect people's health.