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Human-induced climate change is responsible for the historic heatwaves sweeping the planet from China to the United States, scientists have found. The research conducted by World Weather Attribution (WWA), which was released on Tuesday, says the record-shattering heat in Europe and the US would have been almost “impossible” in a world without global heating. The researchers, who analysed records in all three continents, said the likelihood of extreme heat in China, which recently recorded its highest-ever temperature at 52.2C, is now 50 times more likely due to the climate crisis. The researchers evaluated the role of climate crisis in these extreme heat events using peer-reviewed methods, weather station data of the hottest days in July, and computer models. It is already known that planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions have increased the global average temperature by 1.2C, which, in turn, is making heatwaves more frequent and extreme. The WWA study found that the heatwaves like the ones currently persisting now have a probability of occurring approximately once every 15 years in the US and Mexico region, once every 10 years in Southern Europe, and once every five years in China due to increased global average temperatures. However, without the human-induced climate crisis, these heat events would have been extremely rare. In China, such a heatwave would have been about a 1-in-250-year event, while the maximum heat experienced in the US and Mexico region and Southern Europe would have been “virtually impossible”. The climate crisis did not just play a role in the occurrence of the heatwave, but also made the temperatures hotter than they would have been with natural phenomenon like the El Nino. The European heatwave was 2.5C hotter, the North American heatwave was 2C hotter, and the heatwave in China was 1C hotter due to the human-induced climate crisis, the study notes. Researchers who were part of the study said the stronger impact of the climate crisis on the US and Europe is a result of a complex relationship between global and regional factors. Europe is heating faster than the global average, earlier studies have shown. Scientists said it’s because the impact of the climate crisis isn’t even worldwide. “Once again, our study shows the significant impact of the rapid rate of warming on local temperatures in Europe. It underscores the urgent necessity for Europe to continuously take adaptation and mitigation measures,” Sjoukje Philip, researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, and one of the researchers of the study, said. “The planet isn’t warming evenly,” Ms Philip adds. “Climate scientists are working to understand the complex relationships between increasing global and regional average temperatures.” Other scientists have also largely attributed the recent heat events, including the ones in July in the northern hemisphere and the marine heatwaves, to the climate crisis. Earlier, WWA researchers also analysed the April heatwave in a dozen Asian countries, including India, China and Thailand as well as the 2022 heat events in the UK which were found to be made “ten times more likely” due to the climate crisis”. Recently the Met Office also said the reason behind the UK’s hottest-ever June was also the climate crisis. The heatwaves have caused severe impacts, with deadly wildfires burning in Greece and Canada, and heat-related illnesses and fatalities reported in several countries. In the US alone, over 200 people died due to the extreme heat, and Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Algeria, and China also reported heat-related deaths and a surge in hospitalisations. Last year’s heat in Europe contributed to the deaths of over 61,000 people, a recent study found. The study warned that unless there is a rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a shift away from fossil fuels, heatwaves will become even more common and severe in the future. If the global average temperature rise goes up by 2C, a limit that is expected to be breached in the next 30 years if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase the way they are, there would be a probability of experiencing heatwaves like the one currently ongoing every two to five years. “The result of this attribution study is not surprising. The world hasn’t stopped burning fossil fuels, the climate continues to warm and heatwaves continue to become more extreme. It is that simple,” Friederike Otto, senior lecturer in climate science at Imperial College London and co-founder of WWA said. However, she added that these heatwaves are “not evidence of ‘runaway warming’ or ‘climate collapse”. “We still have time to secure a safe and healthy future, but we urgently need to stop burning fossil fuels and invest in decreasing vulnerability.” “If we do not, tens of thousands of people will keep dying from heat-related causes each year. It is absolutely critical that governments legislate fossil fuel phase out at this year’s Cop climate conference.” Read More What is driving the record-breaking global heatwaves across three continents? Why is there no UK heatwave as Europe swelters during Charon? 61,000 dead: The shocking toll from extreme heatwaves that hit Europe last summer revealed UK rescue flights for tourists fleeing ‘out of control’ wildfires on Rhodes and Corfu Weather forecast for Greece as wildfires rage and second heatwave hits ‘Weak tea’: G20 fails to agree on cutting down fossil fuels

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What looks more stunning than the randomly swirling bands of dark chocolate in this loaf of white sweet bread? This style of braiding is known in many countries, and is used with different fillings as well,” says former contestant on The Great British Bake Off, Jurgen Krauss. “Always an eye-catcher, it used to be a special treat on our Saturday afternoon coffee table. The rich spices and citrus zest in combination with chocolate make this truly a great braid for any special occasion.” Babka chocolate braid Serves: 15 Ingredients: For the dough: 190g bread flour 140g white spelt flour or plain flour, plus extra for dusting 6g instant yeast 1 pinch salt 40g caster sugar 180ml whole milk 1 medium egg 40g unsalted butter, softened Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 orange ½ tsp ground cardamom For the filling: 100g dark chocolate (54% or 70% cocoa solids, to taste) 60g unsalted butter 60g soft light brown sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves 30g cocoa powder Unsalted butter, melted, or apricot jam for glazing Method: 1. For the dough, put all the ingredients in a bowl and, using your hands or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the ingredients until evenly distributed. Then knead the dough for several minutes until it has a smooth and silky texture. Cover with a tea towel or a plastic bag and leave to prove at room temperature for about one hour. Check with the poke test that the dough is ready. 2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar into a pan and melt over low heat. Once liquid, take the pan off the heat and add the cinnamon, cloves and cocoa powder. It’s OK if the filling looks grainy. 3. Line a 950g loaf tin with baking paper. 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle measuring about 50 x 30cm. Spread the chocolate filling over the dough rectangle, leaving 2cms of the far short edge uncovered. Roll up the dough rectangle, starting at the near short edge. Seal the seam by pinching it. 5. Place the roll on a work surface with the seam facing down and, with a sharp knife, cut the roll lengthwise into halves. Twist the halves together to form a rope. You can do this starting at one end and twist this half of the roll, and then do the same for the other half; this way you don’t have to manipulate the whole length at once. 6. Place your hands palm down on the ends and, with a scooping movement, bring the ends to meet underneath the middle of yourrope. Transfer this into the lined tin, and cover with a tea towel or a plastic bag. Leave to prove for 30 minutes to one hour until the Babka is well risen and the dough starts to feel fragile; a gentle touch with a finger will leave a dent that only slowly recovers. 7. Preheat the oven to 170C fan/gas mark 5. 8. Bake the babka for 30-40 minutes. 9. Melt the butter for glazing or heat the apricot jam with a teaspoon of water. Brush the babka with melted butter or jam as soon as it is out of the oven. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the tin and baking paper. 10. Let the babka cool completely before eating. Stored in an airtight container it will last for three days. ‘German Baking: Cakes, Tarts, Traybakes And Breads From The Black Forest And Beyond’ by Jurgen Krauss (published by Kyle Books on 31 August, £26). Read More The dish that defines me: Evelin Eros’s rum cake ‘It started with a radish’: Chef Simon Rogan reflects on restaurant L’Enclume at 20 The true story – and murky history – of Portuguese piri piri oil ‘My depression stopped me doing what I loved most in life – cooking’ What Bake Off’s Jurgen Krauss really thinks of his shock elimination Quick, moist and flavourful: Jurgen Krauss’s marble cake

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