State meteorological agency addresses the phenomenon behind deadly heat wave: 'Almost all over the world'

Wildfires raged across Spain in August, as the country suffered through the most intense heat wave in its recorded history.

What's happening?

AEMET, Spain's state meteorological agency, said that the country's heat wave from August 3 to August 18 broke the record for the highest sustained temperature above average, Al Jazeera reported.

During that stretch, the country saw its high temperatures average 8.3 degrees Fahrenheit higher than normal. That topped a heat wave from July 2022, which saw a deviation of 8.1 degrees.

AEMET also said that the first 20 days in August marked the hottest such stretch in Spain since at least 1961. At the heat wave's peak, temperatures reached as high as 109.4 degrees.

More than 1,100 people have died as a result of the heat, and it has sparked wildfires that have devastated large parts of the country. 

As of late August, more than 944,000 acres had burned across Spain, Al Jazeera reported.

Why are heat waves concerning?

AEMET didn't mince words when it came to what caused this heat wave.

"What is behind the increase in temperatures and more frequent episodes of extreme heat?" the agency asked on X. "Climate change. This is confirmed by the [United Nations] after analyzing observed temperature trends. And not only in Spain, but almost all over the world."

Sure enough, the burning of dirty fuels has caused heat-trapping pollution to stay in our atmosphere, which has led the Earth's temperature to rise. 

From 1961 to 2024, AEMET said, Spain's average temperature has increased by more than 3 degrees Fahrenheit. And globally, each of the 10 warmest years on record has happened within the last decade.

How often does the temperature get over 100 degrees where you live? Never 😎 Once or twice a year 😓 Several times a year 🥵 Most of the summer ☀️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The crisis has become so bad that one British Weather Services meteorologist told the Daily Record, "we're at a tipping point" of worrying not just about heat waves, but all sorts of extreme weather.

Data backs that up. Heat waves, droughts, floods, hurricanes — all of these now happen with more frequency or severity than in the past, causing one expert to liken rising temperatures to "steroids for weather."

What can be done about heat waves?

The Paris Agreement, a legally binding treaty signed by nearly 200 countries, aims to limit the planet's temperature increase to 2.7 degrees. Sadly, we're already speeding toward that threshold, and the United States has withdrawn from the agreement.

But that doesn't mean we should give up. Instead, there's never been a more important time to take planet-saving action. 

By studying the issues, supporting candidates who share your values, and making some changes — big and small — at home, we can all help keep the Earth's temperature down.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.