--- title: Climate Change: Global Warming Played a Role in Paris Floods description: Climate change contributed significantly to the likelihood of the flooding that inundated Paris and other European cities last month canonical: https://time.com/4365004/paris-floods-climate-change/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-10T21:57:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T22:32:06.351Z article:section: Science og:title: Climate Change Played a Role in Paris Floods, Report Says og:description: Climate change contributed significantly to the likelihood of the flooding that inundated Paris and other European cities last month og:url: https://time.com/4365004/paris-floods-climate-change/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta79cd068a23b4b38/6988975e8e06012272466430/paris-flooding-climate-change.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: paris flooding climate change og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Climate Change Played a Role in Paris Floods, Report Says twitter:description: Climate change contributed significantly to the likelihood of the flooding that inundated Paris and other European cities last month twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta79cd068a23b4b38/6988975e8e06012272466430/paris-flooding-climate-change.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Climate Change Played a Role in Paris Floods, Report Says  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jun 10, 2016 9:57 PM CUT  From Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower the Seine River overflowed. From Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower the Seine River overflowed.Virginie Blanquart—Getty Images  by [Justin Worland](/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jun 10, 2016 9:57 PM CUT Climate change contributed significantly to the likelihood of the flooding that [inundated Paris](http://time.com/4357053/paris-seine-flooding-landmarks/ "undefined") and other European cities at the end of last month, according to a new [analysis](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/european-rainstorms-may-2016/ "undefined"). The research, conducted by scientists in the World Weather Attribution (WWA) partnership, found that the likelihood of a three-day extreme rainfall event had increased by 90% along the Loire River and 80% along the Seine. Results evaluating whether climate change increased the likelihood of rain in Germany were inconclusive, according to the report. Climate scientists have [worked in recent years](http://time.com/4255428/climate-change-extreme-weather/ "undefined") to develop methods of quickly determining whether weather events can be tied to climate change. A [report](http://www.nap.edu/catalog/21852/attribution-of-extreme-weather-events-in-the-context-of-climate-change "undefined") released earlier this year from the National Academies of Science found that researchers could evaluate the effect of climate change on weather events closely tied to temperature like extreme heat and extreme cold. Drought and extreme rainfall can also be attributed accurately. 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