The Facts
As South Asia's simmering heatwave continues - causing ~90 fatalities in the region and leading to extreme flooding from glacial melting, power outages, and stunted crop growth - a new climate report asserts that India and Pakistan will have increased chances of extreme heat events.
A study released on Mon. from the World Weather Attribution initiative found that the Mar./Apr. heatwave in India and Pakistan has been made 30x more likely because of climate change. Weather patterns enhanced by global warming in the region caused an increase in temperature of approximately 1.0°C (1.8°F) compared to preindustrial times.
The Spin
Narrative A
Climate change has made heatwaves more frequent and more deadly in South Asia over the last decade. The IPCC warned of India's susceptibility to extreme heat in February and now the nation faces fires, disruption to education, power cuts and even fatalities amid this environmental crisis.
Narrative B
It's easy to dismiss any extreme weather event as a consequence of climate change, but in reality they're usually influenced by a myriad of factors. More research is needed before we can establish any direct causal link between the two.
Establishment-critical narrative
While the richest nations are preoccupied with short-term inflationary and supply issues, the developing world faces the massive and irreversible effects of climate change. Successive empty promises mean poorer countries are left fighting an economic, social, and environmental battle that their vulnerable infrastructures are unprepared to deal with.