EUROPE: Over 62,700 people died from heat-related causes in Europe during the summer of 2024, according to a new study published in Nature Medicine. This alarming figure highlights the continent’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather events, with women and the elderly accounting for the majority of fatalities.
The research, conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), analyzed mortality data from 32 European nations. While the 2024 death toll represents a 23% rise from 2023, it fell slightly below the 67,900 deaths recorded in the exceptionally hot summer of 2022. This brings the total heat-related deaths over the past three summers to over 181,000.
Southern Europe bore the brunt of the crisis, with Italy reporting the highest number of deaths, estimated at over 19,000. The ISGlobal study also found that Greece had the highest death rate per capita.
Experts are urging for a significant shift in public policy, with Gerardo Sanchez from the European Environment Agency emphasizing the need for robust cooling infrastructure. He stated that protection from heat should now be considered as an “essential medicine,” especially for vulnerable populations.