After tornadoes barreled through six U.S. states late last week, killing at least 88 people and flattening warehouses, nursing homes, and factories, many were quick to blame the warming climate for at least some of the damages.
Over the weekend, many in the news media speculated that global warming may have played a role and pressed policymakers for answers. Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, called the devastating tornadoes “our new normal.” President Joe Biden, responding to a question from reporters at a press conference on Saturday, said that “everything is more intense when the climate is warming — everything” but emphasized on Monday that “we can’t say with absolute certainty” that climate change was to blame.
The questions are hardly a surprise: After all, it’s become increasingly common — and scientifically supported — to blame floods, heat waves, and even intense hurricanes on the increasing temperatures from fossil fuel use. Friday’s record-breaking heat caused many to speculate that climate change might have played a role in the disaster; there’s also evidence that tornadoes are shif... Read more
