Factcheck: No, Europe’s heatwaves are not being ‘caused’ by declining air pollution

This summer has seen Europe suffer through a series of record-breaking heatwaves.

Amid widespread media coverage of the number of deaths and the influence of climate change, the UK’s Daily Telegraph reported on new research with the incorrect headline: “Heatwaves caused by fall in pollution.”

The article was shared on social media by Richard Tice – deputy leader of the hard-right, climate-sceptic Reform UK party – along with a number of prominent rightwing commentators.

Tice claimed that “net stupid zero is contributing to rising temperatures, not helping”, adding that “we have been gaslit and lied to”.

GB News followed up with its own article, incorrectly headlined: “Britain’s scorching heatwaves caused by falling pollution levels, researchers find.”

Scientists tell Carbon Brief

Original Record.

This archived record authored by ‘Robert McSweeney’ at ‘Carbon Brief’ was recovered from data set:

https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-no-europes-heatwaves-are-not-being-caused-by-declining-air-pollution