Unprecedented heat, hundreds dead and a town destroyed. Climate change is frying the Northern Hemisphere

Unprecedented heat, hundreds dead and a town destroyed. Climate change is frying the Northern Hemisphere

 

By Angela Dewan, CNN

Updated 0758 GMT (1558 HKT) July 4, 2021

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/04/world/canada-us-heatwave-northern-hemisphere-climate-change-cmd-intl/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=fbCNNi&utm_content=2021-07-04T09%3A19%3A29&fbclid=IwAR0AXaxZz7u98e-LZArDIN0vVOyXGd4qm76GBJLS1XiF9QGLE3JIWBYK4I4

 

Several countries, including the US, United Kingdom and those in the European Union, recently increased their commitments — some by a long way — but many scientists and activists say they still don't go far enough to keep global average temperatures within 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. World leaders pledged in the 2015 Paris Agreement to aim for this limit in order to stave off the more most catastrophic impacts of climate change.

Climate groups have also urged Canada to increase its commitments and wean itself off oil and gas.

"This is literally the deadliest weather on record for the US Pacific Northwest and far southwest Canada region. The losses and the despair as a result of the extreme heat and devastating fires in Canada are a reminder of what's yet come as this climate crisis intensifies," said Eddy Pérez, Climate Action Network Canada's manager for international climate diplomacy.

"Canada is experiencing historic climate-induced losses and damages while at the same time not doing its fair share to combat dangerous climate change. As an oil and gas producer, Canada is still considering the expansion of fossil fuels which is directly attributed to the global temperature rise."

CNN's Anna Chernova contributed to this report from Moscow and Manveena Suri contributed from New Delhi.