FLASH
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The extreme heat wave that swept across Europe from late June to early July is considered to be to blame for almost tripling the number of deaths related to high temperatures in the continent's major cities.
Experts from the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland analyzed conditions in 12 major European cities between June 23 and July 2. They concluded that about 2,300 people died from heat-related causes during the 10-day period, with two-thirds of the deaths – about 1,500 – blamed on climate change.
The over-65 age group accounts for 88% of climate-related deaths. Around 1,500 of the 2,300 heat-related deaths, or 65%, are the result of climate change, responsible for 317 deaths in Milan, 286 in Barcelona, 235 in Paris, 171 in London, 164 in Rome, 108 in Madrid, 96 in Athens, 47 in Budapest, 31 in Zagreb, 21 in Lisbon and six in Sassari.
This shows that the death toll from climate change-driven heatwaves in many European cities is higher than in other natural disasters, such as the 2024 Valencia floods with 224 deaths and the 2021 floods in northwestern Europe, with 243 deaths.
Faced with these numbers, the study's authors have a clear appeal to governments: Immediate intervention is necessary. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not enough; concrete protective measures are also needed for the most vulnerable age groups of the population.
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