More than 175,000 people on average die each year from the effects of extreme heat, according to a statement from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) European division published on Thursday.
Out of the 489,000 heat-related deaths recorded by WHO annually between 2000 and 2019, 36% of victims were in Europe, the organisation stressed. Europe is the fastest-warming of the six WHO regions, with temperatures rising at around twice the global average rate.
“Across the Region, in its 53 Member States, people are paying the ultimate price,” lamented the organisation’s regional director, Hans Kluge. The death toll related to heat has surged by 30% in the last 20 years within this region.
WHO Europe elaborates further, "Temperature extremes exacerbate chronic conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebro-vascular diseases, mental health, and diabetes-related conditions."
Another major climate-related cause of death in the region is “heat stress”, which occurs when the body can no longer maintain a temperature between 36 and 37°C.
The WHO predicts that heat-related deaths will “skyrocket” in the coming years. “The 3 warmest years on record for the Region have all occurred since 2020, and the 10 warmest years have been since 2007”, Kluge noted.
On 25 July, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged for action against the “epidemic” of extreme heat, advocating for tangible measures to confront this “invisible killer”.
