A groundbreaking study published in Nature has traced dozens of global heatwaves directly to the greenhouse gas emissions of major fossil fuel producers.

Researchers found that nearly one-quarter of heatwaves recorded between 2000 and 2023 would have been “virtually impossible” without global warming. Crucially, the analysis links these extreme weather events to the emissions of individual energy companies.

For more than two decades, climate scientists have shown that human-driven warming fuels stronger storms, droughts, and heatwaves. But this new research goes further, connecting the dots between specific corporate emissions and the climate disasters people experience worldwide.

The findings come as extreme heat shatters records across continents, underscoring the mounting pressure on fossil fuel producers to take responsibility for their role in driving the climate crisis.

By attributing extreme events to named emitters, experts say the study could reshape climate accountability debates—from lawsuits to global negotiations on loss and damage.