The record-breaking heatwave in Brazil in 2023 was attributed to climate change, according to an international team of scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) center. The organization’s website stated that human activities were the main cause of the heatwave in Brazil’s Amazon region. Scientists further explained that the El Niño event played a significant role in contributing to the heatwave, surpassing expectations. The study highlighted how climate change has resulted in increased temperatures and reduced rainfall, occurring 30 times more often in 2023 compared to the pre-industrial period when El Niño was the main factor.

The WWA report, prepared by meteorologists from Brazil, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States, compared current climate observations with historical data. In March 2023, the Amazon region in Brazil experienced an unprecedented heatwave. This heatwave brought numerous consequences, such as a higher number of forest fires than usual, dried up rivers due to lower water levels, and increased frequency of extreme high temperatures in mountainous areas. The abnormally high water temperature in the Amazon River also resulted in mass mortality of fish and wildlife.