Study links West Africa’s intense February heatwave to human-caused global heating
![Study links West Africa's intense February heatwave to human-caused global heating](https://sustainabilityeconomicsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GGzQZE_akAA04Pz.jpeg)
A scorching heatwave that hit West Africa in February has been determined by a study to have been intensified by 4 degrees Celsius and made 10 times more probable due to human-induced global heating.
While the heatwave impacted millions of individuals, the exact toll in terms of early deaths or illness remains unknown due to inadequate reporting.
This region, the largest exporter of cocoa globally, suffered from weakened cocoa trees due to the heat, compounded by previous damage from extreme rainfall in December.
Consequently, cocoa prices, vital for chocolate production, have surged in recent years due to climate-induced crop harm, with the recent heat wave exacerbating the situation.
According to research conducted by the World Weather Attribution group of scientists, the heatwave would have occurred less frequently than once a century in a world untouched by climate change.
Also read: February 2024: Hottest on record amidst alarming climate milestones
However, over the past four years, it transpired as a once-in-a-decade occurrence, exacerbated by an average of 1.2 degrees Celsius of global heating.
The study underscores that without rapid reductions in emissions from fossil fuel combustion and a subsequent global temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, such heatwaves are projected to manifest every other year, as stated by the scientists.
The most severe heatwave conditions were recorded from February 11 to 15, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius and averaging 36 degrees Celsius. High humidity levels compounded the situation, impeding the body’s ability to cool down through sweating.
Also read: Ocean temperatures hit a record high in February
The heat index, a measure combining temperature and humidity to gauge perceived heat, reached 50 degrees Celsius, a perilous level for human health, as highlighted by Izidine Pinto from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute.
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