Did climate change cause Super Typhoon Haiyan?

Scientists grapple with the causes of a storm that might have killed more than 10,000 people

Typhoon
(Image credit: (Dondi Tawatao/Getty Images))

Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever recorded, might have killed at least 10,000 people as it swept through the Philippines, according to estimates by the Red Cross. And the country's officials have been quick to point the finger at climate change.

"What my country is going through as a result of this extreme climate event is madness," Yeb Sano, the country's representative at this week's United Nations climate change talks in Warsaw, Poland, told 190 delegates from across the globe. "The climate crisis is madness. We can stop this madness… Typhoons such as Haiyan and its impacts represent a sobering reminder to the international community that we cannot afford to procrastinate on climate action."

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Keith Wagstaff is a staff writer at TheWeek.com covering politics and current events. He has previously written for such publications as TIME, Details, VICE, and the Village Voice.