Debate heating up over changes in climate variability

Heatwaves have profound socio-economic impacts. Increases in temperature variability would exacerbate these impacts but debate rages in the literature about whether the climate has or will become more variable. There is currently no firm evidence that temperature variability has or will increase because questions have been raised about the methods used to reach this conclusion. However, irrespective of changing temperature variability, the impact from increases in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves will be a major problem for the future.