Record temperatures across Siberia were 600 times more likely thanks to the interventon of human caused climate change says research. Analysis from the Russian Academy of Science has found that temperatures in the northern regions of Siberia are 2°C higher than they would have been without the influence of greenhouse gas emissions. Temperatures in Siberia have been higher than ever between January and June in 2020, with a record Arctic high of 38°C in June. According to the research team, that temperature would only happen less than once every 80,000 years without human-induced climate change. The unusually high temperatures have had knock-on effects with the local environment in Siberia which could have major global consequences. The region has experienced major first fires with 1.15 million hectares burning in late June, releasing 56 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the annual emissions of Norway. The heat has also accelerated the melting of permafrost, which lessens the planet’s reflectivity and increases the planet’s overall temperature. The frozen soil also collapsed in May, leading to the collapse of an oil tanker, spilling millions of gallons of oil into the ice. The temperatures has also seen an outbreak of silk moths, which eat conifer trees as larvae. Senior Detection and Attribution scientist at the Met Office Andrew Ciavarella: “The findings of this rapid research – that climate change increased the chances of the prolonged heat in Siberia by at least 600 times – are truly staggering. This research is further evidence of the extreme temperatures we can expect to see more frequently around the world in a warming global climate. Importantly, an increasing frequency of these extreme heat events can be moderated by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”