New Delhi

Britain sizzled this year due to scorching heat waves. The temperatures shattered old records as the European nation struggled to deal with the sharp rise in mercury. Now, researchers at World Weather Attribution have revealed that climate change made the record heatwave ten times more likely. 

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The team of researchers found that if it had not been for climate change, caused by excessive human activities, the heatwave temperatures would have been 4ºC cooler.

To gauge whether the heatwave was a byproduct of climate change, the researchers compared climate as it is today with the climate of the past, say the industrial age, using weather data and computer simulations.

Read More: UK Met Office’s heatwave prediction for 2050 set to turn real next week

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The results of the analysis were frightening, to say the least. Europe and other parts of the world are increasingly becoming hotter and experiencing frequent heatwaves, eclipsing the estimates made by several climate models.

The model results also suggested that there is a one per cent chance that such a heatwave could be repeated next year as well. 

The world has already warmed by around 1.1ºC, since the beginning of the industrial age. The temperatures will continue to rise until worldwide governments drastically reduce emissions.

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Such has been the effect of rising temperatures in the UK that communities have started requesting the government to draw up a heat risk strategy plan which included updating housing stock and ensuring new buildings cool down in hot weather.

Read More: COP26 President Alok Sharma speaks to WION on UK Heatwave & British politics

The houses in the UK have not been constructed with the aim to tackle temperatures upwards of 40ºC. Most Victoria-era homes have been constructed keeping the cold and rainy climate of the region in mind. However, the changing weather patterns may soon force the authorities to change the building structures.

(With inputs from agencies)

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