Human-induced changes to the global climate have “a direct and well-understood impact” on extreme heat and rainfall, according to a landmark new US National Academies report.
The assessment comes as weather disasters dominate the headlines and as the public and private sectors pour resources into trying to understand what’s coming next. This week alone, the eastern US grappled with intense heat and wildfire smoke; forecasters warned of dangerous flooding in Texas; and fire risk in Northern California prompted power shutoffs. The report is a step up in seriousness and authority — and potentially influence — for attribution science, a field that’s blossomed in plain view and relatively quickly.
