Over the past few months, there has been a significant and notable increase in heatwaves across the UK and further afield.
Many people are now questioning whether climate change has been one of the main contributing factors towards these spikes in temperature.
Heatwaves are common during summer months when high pressure develops. This pressure moves slowly and can stay in one area for a prolonged period of time.
Are heatwaves linked to climate change?
The summer of 2018 in the UK was the hottest recorded one, equal-second, to that of 1976. A study by the Met Office showed that the likelihood of the UK experiencing a summer as hot, or hotter, than 2018 is 1 in 10.
Professor Peter Scott, leading expert on climate attribution, said, ‘We find that the intensity of this summer’s heatwave is around 30 times more likely than would have been the case without climate change.’
This is due to the high concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, caused mostly by the industrial revolution.
The Earth’s surface temperature has gone up by 1°C since pre-industrial times.
Due to the concentration of these gases, scientists predict that heatwaves, such as the intense ones seen recently, will become more frequent. It is thought that these could be happening as regularly as every other year by 2050.
Hosepipe ban
Due to recent heatwaves, and the droughts that come with them, many places in the UK have been issued a ‘hosepipe ban’.
Much of the South East, places in Yorkshire and counties such as Cornwall and north Devon are just some of the places where water usage is being restricted.
Water UK says the these types of ban can reduce water usage by some 10%.
How can I help?
Statistics such as those referenced in this article can be shocking and scary. However, all is not lost and there are still ways you can help slow down this climate issue.
Small things include saving energy at home by turning off lights when they’re not needed. As well as using washing and drying machines less often.
Using your car less could also reduce your carbon footprint by more than 30%.
Throwing away less food is also a great way to help. This links to reduce, reuse, recycle, which encourages buying fewer things, second-hand shopping and using the same resources to make new things.