The searing July heatwave that hit Europe last week was made both more likely and more intense by human-induced climate change, scientists say.
A rapid attribution study says that heating added up to 3C to the intensity of the event that scorched the UK, France and the Netherlands.
In France, the heatwave was made at least 10 times and up to 100 times more likely by human activities.
The shorter event in the UK was made at least twice as likely, experts say.
The World Weather Attribution Group has carried out a number of similar studies in recent years to work out the impact of climate change on extreme events.
This new report looks at the July heatwave that saw temperatures soar above 40C in many countries including Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
In Paris, the mercury smashed through a historic high of 40.4C. It beat the record by more than 2 degrees, to the new mark of 42.6C.
In the UK, the heat event only lasted 1-2 days but a new record was set at Cambridge University’s botanic garden with 38.7C.
Researchers combined information from both long term temperature observations and climate models to look at how the events would have unfolded with or without the human influence on the climate.
So when they look at France they can say that the chances of having a heatwave like the one that struck last week were made more likely by at least a factor of 10, but could in fact have been up to 100 times.
“We conclude that such an event would have had an extremely small probability to occur (less than about once every 1,000 years) without climate change in France,” the study says.
The picture across Europe was the same say researchers.
“Every European heatwave we and others have analysed was found to be made much more likely and more intense due to human-induced climate change, so it was not surprising that climate change played a role,” said Dr Friederike Otto, acting director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford.
“But how much more likely the heatwave is depends very strongly on the event definition: location, season, intensity and duration. This July 2019 heatwave was so extreme over continental Western Europe that the observed magnitudes would have been extremely unlikely without climate change.”
The researchers say the intensity of the heatwave was increased by between 1.5 and 3C.
“When I bicycled home from work last week it was still 37.1 degrees,” said co-author Dr Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, from KNMI in the Netherlands.
“I would have felt a difference at 34C – you don’t need a thermometer anymore to notice a difference.”
While the event lasted little more than a day in the UK, the researchers estimate that climate change made it at least twice as likely. The impact on intensity was estimated to be between 1.5 and 2.5C.
The researchers also talk about the likely return period of these events – meaning the chances of having another one of the same magnitude. For Cambridge they estimate it’s 30 years.
“A return period of 30 years like in Cambridge, means that every year in the current climate you have about 3% chance of having a heatwave like that,” says Dr van Oldenborgh.
“It was much smaller in the old climate and every year that we keep on emitting CO2 the probability of having a heatwave like that will just increase.”
One problem that the researchers keep encountering when they carry out these rapid attribution studies is the fact that the climate models they are using underestimate the high temperature observations that are being made in the real world.
“We know for 10 years or so that the models have problems with these relatively short, very intense events,” says Geert Jan van Oldenborgh.
“They have been designed to simulate global mean temperatures and large scale heat patterns, they have not been designed to get heatwaves right.
“Everybody now agrees that this needs to be figured out, because the trend in heatwaves is just so much higher than the model trend.”
At 31, Lagos-born Espago is redefining what it means to be a late bloomer in the Nigerian music
space. After spending years as a chef, designer, and farmer, Espago turned to music just a year
ago on a journey sparked by deep loss, life experience, and self-discovery.
What makes him different? It’s not just his sound, it’s his story. Espago brings a calm but
confident energy that mirrors his Lagos upbringing: a blend of vibrant Fuji rhythms and soulful
Afrobeat traditions like King Sunny Ade, shaped by global legends like Michael Jackson and
Celine Dion. His voice? Professionally trained. His brand? Stylish, grounded, and intentional.
Espago didn’t wait for the industry to find him; he found his own way in, teaching himself,
searching out producers, and building his identity from scratch. With no major label backing and
no big-name features, he has still built a brand marked by boldness, emotion, and Lagos street
authenticity.
He’s not just making music; he’s building a lifestyle brand. His creative roots are in food,
fashion, and music fused into something richer than just a “sound.” It’s a full experience. While
he hasn’t performed live yet, he’s putting in the work behind the scenes, mentoring new artists,
recording regularly to sharpen his voice and brand for bigger stages ahead.
In a scene dominated by speed, Espago’s journey is about intentional growth, honest
expression, and emotional connection.
As the new class of Afro‑HipHop begins to take shape, Espago stands out not just for what he’s
making, but for who he is becoming.
Rising artist Derriq isn’t just making music for entertainment; he’s building a legacy rooted in culture, resilience, and pride. The Lagos-based Afro-soul and Afrobeats singer has his eyes set on something bigger than streaming numbers: putting his hometown of Benin City on the global creative map is his dream.
A native of Edo State, Derriq’s musical journey began as a child organizing school parties just for the chance to perform. Since then, he’s gone from studio assistant to full-fledged artist, releasing impactful tracks like “Position,” “Vibration,” and “Confidence.” His sound, described as smooth, calm, and party-ready, reflects the duality of his personality: laid-back yet determined, quiet but powerful.
Derriq is more than just a promising name on Nigeria’s growing music roster; he’s a symbol of the next generation of artists who blend regional identity with global appeal using his distinctive voice, a strong sense of direction, and his signature slang “Yehboo! Yezaiii!” making waves among fans, Derriq is proving that cultural authenticity still cuts through the noise.
His next single, “Omo n’ Ogie,” is a tribute to his heritage and a signal that he’s just getting started. Keep your eyes on Derriq, he’s not just singing for the moment, he’s singing for a movement.
Follow @DerriqMusic on all social platforms
For interviews and press: derriqmusic@gmail.com
Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. President Bola Tinubu will address the nation in a broadcast today, Sunday, August 4, 2024. Mr Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement, on Saturday, saying the broadcast would hold at 7am.
2. The Commissioner of Police in Borno State, Yusuf Lawal, on Saturday confirmed the killing of four persons along Baga Road in Maiduguri, Borno State during the nationwide #EndBadGoverment protest. He said Boko Haram elements infiltrated the protesters and killed four persons on Thursday with explosives at a filling station.
3. Many persons have been feared killed while others sustained injuries as hoodlums clashed with security operatives in Kano. It was gathered that Rijiyar Lemo, Kurna to Bachirawa areas in Fagge Local Government, Kofar Nassarawa in Kano municipal and Unguwa Uku area of Tarauni Local Government are the worst hit areas.
4. The leadership of the organised labour, on Saturday, warned the Nigeria Police Force and other security forces to stop what it described as a “massacre” of protesters carrying out nationwide demonstrations against hunger in the land.
5. Leading Human Rights group, Amnesty International Nigeria, has said over 50 protesters were arrested in Abuja on the third day of the demonstration against hardship in the land.
6. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the police and other security agencies to stop shooting and killing protesters demanding good governance in Nigeria. Atiku in a statement on Saturday, questioned the professionalism of the security agencies in the handling of the ongoing demonstrations.
7. Some of the organisers and supporters of the ongoing protest have set up pages to raise over N4bn through GoFundMe, a popular online crowdfunding platform. A check on Saturday showed that a total of N4.1bn had been benchmarked to be donated through accounts created by three GoFundMe users.
8. Tragedy struck again in Imo State on Saturday evening when some gunmen reportedly shot dead the President-General of Umucheke Okwe autonomous community in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, Hyginus Ohazurike. Six village heads from the autonomous community were also allegedly killed by the gunmen.
9. The Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh has said his men were not responsible for the death of a teenager in the Kubwa area of the FCT. In a viral video, a man claimed that police, while dispersing protesters, shot dead a teenager in the Kubwa area.
10. The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu has said President Bola Tinubu is keeping an eye on the ongoing #EndBadGovernance demonstrations across the country.
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