Human-caused climate change has made almost all heat waves in Canada hotter and more likely, Environment and Climate Change Canada (Environment Canada) said in a statement. announcement Friday.

Scientists from the federal department analyzed 37 of the hottest heat waves in 17 regions of Canada from June to September 2024, according to the press release. From this analysis, they determined that climate change attributed to human causes had the following impacts:

• Five heat waves were at least one to two times more likely to occur
• Twenty-eight heat waves were at least two to ten times more likely to occur
• Four of the heat waves were at least 10 times more likely to occur

The analysis involved the Rapid program Attribution of extreme weather events system, which uses models to compare today’s climate with pre-industrial temperatures.

“This helps Canadians understand how emissions and human activities affect our lives and weather today, as changes occur,” the release said.

Starting this winter, the ministry says the system will be able to analyze the links between human-caused climate change and the likelihood of extremely cold temperature events. A feature to analyze extreme precipitation is expected to come online in 2025.

“A better understanding of the causes and effects of extreme weather, such as heat waves, extreme cold and extreme precipitation, can help us better plan, respond and rebuild in the face of weather emergencies,” the statement said.

Canada is warming at a rate about twice the global average, the release said, adding that the costs of extreme weather – from lost productivity to loss of life – are considerable.