Power plants are churning across the United States and China, the world’s leading emitters of greenhouse gases, struggling to meet air-conditioning demand. Wildfires are raging in Southern Europe and Canada, with more than a month of peak fire season left. Explosive thunderstorms, torrential monsoons and extreme heat are sowing destruction and threatening lives across three continents. In the short-term, meteorologists predicted more intense heat and extreme weather over the next month. In the long-term, scientists say, climate change is making heat waves hotter, more frequent and longer; making wildfires bigger and more intense; affecting air quality, rainfall, and droughts — reaching every corner of Earth, driven by the burning of fossil fuels by humans.

Source: New York Times July 21, 2023 19:38 UTC