European Heatwave Claims Thousands of Lives
A recent analysis reveals the staggering human cost of the recent European heatwave: at least 2,300 deaths across 12 cities. Scientists are attributing a significant portion of these fatalities to the escalating climate crisis.
Devastating Impact of Extreme Heat
The study focused on the 10-day period ending July 2nd, when Western Europe endured scorching temperatures, exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in Spain. This extreme weather also fueled devastating wildfires in France.
Researchers estimate that approximately 1,500 of the 2,300 deaths were linked to climate change, which intensified the heatwave. The research was conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Climate Change Link
“Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous,”
stated **Dr. Ben Clarke**, a researcher at Imperial College London.
The study encompassed 12 cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, London, and Milan. Researchers found that climate change had increased heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius in these locations. Indeed, the World Meteorological Organization has found that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average (WMO 2024).
Methodology
Researchers utilized established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the death toll. This includes deaths where heat was the primary cause or a contributing factor, exacerbating pre-existing health conditions.
Scientists explained that they employed peer-reviewed methods to quickly generate the estimated death toll. This is because many heat-related deaths go unreported, and some governments do not release this data.
Global Context
Last month was the planet’s third-hottest June on record, following June 2024 and 2023, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, with much of the region experiencing “very strong heat stress,”
defined as conditions feeling like 38 degrees Celsius or higher, according to Copernicus.
“In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe,”
said **Samantha Burgess**, Copernicus’ strategic lead for climate.
New research from European health institutes suggests that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Europe’s sweltering heatwaves in 2022, indicating that countries’ heat preparedness efforts are insufficient.
The accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, primarily from burning fossil fuels, has increased the planet’s average temperature. Thus, temperatures surge to higher peaks during heatwaves.
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