The world, the universe and us Weekly: Why the climate crisis is an issue of injustice and inequality
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Apr 29, 2025 Friederike Otto, co-founder of the World Weather Attribution project, and Joyce Kimutai, a climate scientist from Kenya, delve into the intertwined issues of climate justice and extreme weather. They discuss how climate attribution has evolved to highlight the link between climate change and catastrophic events. The conversation shifts to the urgent need for wealthy nations to compensate poorer countries disproportionately affected by climate crises. Legal avenues for holding corporate polluters accountable are explored, emphasizing the potential impact of ongoing climate litigation.
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Origin Story of Climate Attribution
- Friederike Otto co-founded World Weather Attribution in 2014 to link extreme weather events to climate change quickly.
- Their first event was a 2014 European heatwave, a steep learning curve in both science and communication.
Joyce Kimutai's Journey
- Joyce Kimutai transitioned from meteorology forecasting to research after attending a 2016 workshop by Freddie Otto.
- This connection inspired her to study attribution science for her master's and PhD and engage stakeholders in Africa.
How Attribution Science Works
- Attribution science compares today's world with a hypothetical world without climate change to measure event likelihood.
- Characterizing the event and using multiple models are critical and demanding parts of the process.