Nature Podcast Feeling the heat: fossil-fuel producers linked to dozens of heatwaves
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Sep 10, 2025 In this insightful discussion, Jeff Tollefson, a climate reporter at Nature, reveals how major fossil fuel producers significantly contribute to the frequency and intensity of heatwaves. He uncovers research showing that nearly a quarter of heatwaves from 2000 to 2023 are directly linked to the emissions of specific energy giants like Exxon and BP. The conversation addresses the growing accountability of these companies and the declining support for scientific research in the U.S., highlighting the urgent need to tackle climate change.
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Companies Can Be Linked To Heatwaves
- Researchers linked specific fossil-fuel producers' emissions to individual heatwaves using attribution methods applied to 213 heat events from 2000–2023.
- The study allocates the climate-driven portion of each heatwave to major producers that together represent ~57% of global emissions.
Major Emitters Amplified Heatwave Severity
- The cumulative effect of emissions from carbon majors increased heatwave intensity by about 1.7 °C during 2010–2019 in their analysis.
- Individual companies' emissions also substantially raised heatwave probabilities, sometimes by orders of magnitude in median estimates.
Science Feeds Climate Litigation Evidence
- Attribution results can support legal cases by supplying scientific links between companies' emissions and climate damages.
- Legal outcomes will also hinge on policy, precedent, and companies' historical conduct beyond the science alone.