Heat Wave in Europe Claims 2,300 Lives, Climate Change Blamed for Severity

According to a rapid scientific analysis conducted by experts at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, around 2,300 people succumbed to heat-related illnesses across 12 cities in Europe due to a brutal heat wave that hit the region. This analysis specifically examined the impact of extreme temperatures over a ten-day period, ending on July 2, during which parts of Western Europe experienced sweltering conditions exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104°F), particularly in Spain, alongside widespread wildfires in France.

The study found that a significant portion of the fatalities, roughly 1,500, were linked directly to climate change, which exacerbated the intensity of the heat wave. Dr. Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College, emphasized that climate change has made temperatures significantly hotter than they would have been otherwise, thereby increasing the risks associated with such heat waves. The cities included in the study were major urban centers such as Barcelona, Madrid, London, and Milan, where climate change has raised heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius.

To estimate the number of deaths attributed to heat exposure, the researchers relied on established epidemiological models and historical mortality data, focusing on deaths where heat was a contributing factor, including instances where it worsened existing health issues. The scientists stated that their methodology was peer-reviewed and designed to rapidly yield results, as many heat-related deaths often go unrecorded and some governments withhold this information.

In June, the Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that it was the third-hottest June globally, following June 2024 and 2023. Western Europe notably experienced its hottest June on record, with much of the area suffering from "very strong heat stress," characterized by conditions feeling like 38 degrees Celsius or higher. Samantha Burgess from Copernicus warned that in an increasingly warmer world, heatwaves are becoming more common and intense, affecting a larger number of people throughout Europe. Moreover, a separate report indicated that as many as 61,000 deaths may have occurred during Europe’s heatwaves in 2022, suggesting that current strategies for heat preparedness are critically lacking. The ongoing rise in greenhouse gas emissions primarily from fossil fuel combustion continues to raise the planet's average temperature, resulting in higher peak temperatures during heat waves.