More than 50,000 people died across Europe during this summer's heatwaves, making it the deadliest season on record, according to a new study by Imperial College scientists. The analysis of heat-related deaths in 854 European cities found that 50,391 people died due to warmer temperatures, which is 71% above the previous record of 29,480 set in 2022.
Climate Change Blamed for Most Deaths
Researchers found that nearly two-thirds of the death toll could be blamed on human-caused climate change. Just over 30% of the deaths occurred between June 17 and July 1, when a period of intense hot weather saw temperatures 5.3C above normal across Europe. Some cities even had temperatures 12C warmer than average this summer, the study found.
Lead author Clair Barnes, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, said: "Much of Western and Northern Europe, our infrastructure is just not designed to cope with the sort of temperatures that we are seeing now because of the effects of human-caused warming."
Highest Death Tolls in Italy, France, Spain and Germany
Italy, France, Spain and Germany had the highest death tolls, the study said. Researchers estimated there were 4,354 heat-related deaths in the 135 British towns and cities included in the figures. More than half of the people who died in Europe's heatwaves were age 85 or older, though more than 800 people between the ages of 20 and 44 showed up in the figures.
Experts said conditions this summer created what would have been an abnormal hot spell under natural circumstances, but climate change had intensified this and made it more deadly. Ms Barnes said: "Just the underlying warming from human activity, from mostly the burning of fossil fuels, it's increasing all of our temperatures by what sounds like quite a small amount. For many people, it's certainly the case that that extra two-and-a-half degrees of warming is what's going to tip those temperatures from uncomfortable to dangerous and potentially deadly."
Attributable Deaths Rise from 45% to 65%
The percentage of heat deaths attributable to global warming has grown from about 45% in the early 2000s to 65% now, Ms Barnes added. Scientists reached the 50,391 figure by using statistical models to compare overall death tolls across 854 European cities against historical averages, identifying the number of excess deaths that matched with temperature spikes.
To calculate the number of deaths caused by global warming, researchers used computer simulations based on today's climate without 1.2C to 1.5C of man-made temperature increases, and compared it to the actual deaths this summer.
