By Catherine Veloni
Europe’s record-shattering heatwave has claimed an estimated 1,300 lives, with scientists warning that the overwhelming majority of the deaths would likely not have occurred without human-induced climate change.
A rapid scientific assessment by the World Weather Attribution found that about 1,300 of an estimated 2,300 heat-related deaths recorded across 12 major European cities during the latest heatwave were linked directly to climate change.
Researchers said rising global temperatures intensified the heat by up to 4°C in some locations, making the deadly conditions far more severe than they would have been in a cooler climate.
The findings came as Europe continued to shatter temperature records, with parts of Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary exceeding 40°C.
France alone reported around 1,000 excess deaths during the heatwave, mostly among elderly people, while emergency services across the continent struggled with soaring hospital admissions, wildfires, transport disruptions and power outages.
According to the researchers, older adults accounted for the vast majority of fatalities because prolonged exposure to extreme heat places enormous strain on the heart, lungs and kidneys.
Urban areas were particularly vulnerable due to the “urban heat island” effect, where concrete and asphalt trap heat long after sunset.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Europe is warming at roughly twice the global average, making heatwaves one of the continent’s deadliest climate hazards.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said climate change is a present-day health emergency, urging governments to strengthen heat action plans, improve early warning systems and protect vulnerable populations.
Scientists a World Weather Attribution have stressed that the latest event follows a worrying trend. Europe has experienced increasingly deadly summers in recent years, with more than 60,000 heat-related deaths recorded in 2022 and over 47,000 in 2023.
They have warned that unless greenhouse gas emissions decline rapidly, such deadly heatwaves will become more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense.
Beyond the immediate loss of life, the heatwave has disrupted transport networks as railway tracks buckled, roads softened under extreme temperatures and electricity demand surged for cooling.
Rivers including the Danube and Italy’s Po fell to critically low levels, affecting shipping, agriculture and energy production. Wildfires also spread across several countries, threatening communities and ecosystems.
Climate experts say the implications extend far beyond Europe. The same warming trends are expected to intensify heat extremes in Africa, including the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, where populations are often less protected by cooling infrastructure and healthcare systems.
Increasing heat is projected to worsen food insecurity, reduce labour productivity, strain water supplies and heighten the risks of heat-related illnesses across the continent.
Scientists have warned that every fraction of a degree of global warming avoided through rapid reductions in fossil fuel emissions would save lives, emphasizing that adaptation measures such as greener cities, improved healthcare preparedness and stronger early warning systems are becoming as essential as efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
