Heatwave in Europe Claims 2,300 Lives, with Climate Change Making It More Severe

Kokcha News Agency: A rapid scientific analysis published on Wednesday estimates that around 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities during the severe heatwave that ended last week. The study, conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, focused on the 10-day period ending July 2, during which large parts of Western Europe experienced extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) in Spain and wildfires breaking out in France.

Of the estimated 2,300 deaths, 1,500 were linked to climate change, which made the heatwave more severe. Dr. Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London, stated, “Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous.”

The study covered 12 cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, London, and Milan, where climate change increased heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius. The researchers used established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the death toll, which includes cases where heat was the underlying cause of death, even if it exacerbated pre-existing health conditions.

The scientists emphasized that they used peer-reviewed methods to quickly produce the estimated death toll, as most heat-related deaths are not officially reported, and some governments do not release this data.

Record-Breaking Heat
Last month was the planet’s third-hottest June on record, behind June 2024 and June 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 by conditions that feel like a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more.

Samantha Burgess, Copernicus’ strategic lead for climate, warned, “In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense, and impact more people across Europe.”

Long-Term Climate Impact
The build-up of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels, has led to an increase in the planet’s average temperature over time. This rise in baseline temperatures means that when a heatwave occurs, temperatures can surge to higher peaks, making extreme heat events more deadly.

In 2023, researchers from European health institutes reported that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Europe’s heatwaves in 2022, highlighting the urgent need for improved heat preparedness efforts.