Europa Posted on 2025-07-09 10:53:00

Heat wave caused 2,300 deaths in Europe - Climate change has increased average temperatures by 4°C

From Kristi Ceta

Heat wave caused 2,300 deaths in Europe - Climate change has increased average

Around 2,300 people died in 12 European cities as a heatwave hit the continent, with researchers saying climate change was to blame for many of them.

Around 2,300 people died from causes related to extreme temperatures in 12 European cities during the heatwave that ended last week.

The latest study put the spotlight on the 10 days leading up to July 2, during which large parts of Western Europe were hit by extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in Spain and fires breaking out in France.

Of the 2,300 people estimated to have died during this period, 1,500 deaths were linked to climate change, which made the heatwave more deadly, according to the study conducted by British scientists at Imperial College.

The analysis covered 12 cities, including Barcelona, ​​Madrid, London and Milan, where researchers said climate change had increased heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius.

The researchers used epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the number of deaths that had an underlying cause in the heat, including whether exposure worsened existing health conditions.

Last month was the planet's third hottest June on record, after the same month in 2024 and 2023, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, with temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius or more.

The accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, which come mainly from the burning of fossil fuels, has led to an increase in the planet's average temperatures over time. This means that temperatures can reach higher levels during heat waves.

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