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In a stark reminder of the growing impact of climate change on public health, nearly 50,000 people across Europe lost their lives due to extreme heat in 2023, according to a major study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, estimates that 47,690 deaths were directly attributable to heat, during the hottest year globally and the second warmest year in Europe.
Southern Europe: The epicenter of heat-related mortality
The report shows that southern European countries, particularly Greece, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain, were most affected by this deadly phenomenon. Greece recorded the highest heat-related mortality rate with an estimated 393 deaths per million inhabitants, followed by Bulgaria with 229 deaths, Italy with 209 deaths and Spain with 175 deaths per million. In comparison, northern European countries such as Germany experienced significantly lower mortality rates with 76 deaths per million inhabitants.
These frightening figures highlight the vulnerability of Southern Europe to rising temperatures, a region that, although accustomed to hot weather, experienced significant challenges due to the intensity and duration of heatwaves in 2023. The Mediterranean climate, combined with prolonged periods of extreme heat, exacerbated health risks, especially for older populations.
Adaptation measures: A vital lifeline
The study also offers a glimmer of hope, showing that adaptation measures implemented over the past two decades have played a critical role in saving lives. Without these interventions, which include improvements in health services, early warning systems, better communication strategies and advances in occupational safety and health, the death toll in 2023 would have been 80% higher. This means that an additional 38,000 lives would have been lost if these measures had not been taken.
„Our results show that there have been societal adaptation processes to high temperatures over the course of the century that have dramatically reduced the heat-related vulnerability and mortality burden of recent summers, especially among older people,“ said Elisa Gallo, environmental epidemiologist at ISGlobal and lead author of the study.
One key adaptation highlighted in the report is the gradual increase in the temperature with the lowest mortality risk. Between 2000 and 2004, this threshold was 15 degrees Celsius, but by 2015-2019 it had risen to 17.7 degrees Celsius. This change suggests that people in Europe have become less vulnerable to heat, probably due to overall socioeconomic progress, changes in individual behaviour and public health measures such as the heat protection plans introduced after the devastating heatwave of 2003.
The ongoing fight against climate change
Despite the progress made in adapting to rising temperatures, the study’s authors warn against complacency. The results underscore the urgent need for more effective strategies to further reduce the mortality burden of increasingly hot summers. „The number of heat-related deaths is still too high,“ warned Gallo. „Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average – we must not rest on our laurels.“
The study also points to the wider impacts of climate change, which is causing increasingly frequent, longer and more intense heatwaves. Scientists have long warned that continued burning of fossil fuels and deforestation are increasing the greenhouse effect, trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and leading to more extreme weather events.
The impact of these rising temperatures is not limited to southern Europe. Cooler countries such as the UK, Norway and Switzerland are expected to see a significant relative increase in the number of uncomfortably hot days, posing new challenges for regions less accustomed to dealing with extreme heat.
A call to action
The report concludes with a call to action for both governments and individuals to take proactive measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect vulnerable populations. Governments are urged to design cooler cities with more green spaces and less concrete, establish and strengthen early warning systems, and strengthen health systems to prevent overwhelm during heatwaves.
On an individual level, simple measures such as drinking enough water, avoiding the sun during peak hours and checking in on elderly neighbors can make a big difference. „As obvious as it may sound, drinking water is crucial to prevent dehydration,“ noted Dr. Santi Di Pietro, assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pavia. He stressed the importance of paying particular attention to the elderly, who may not perceive thirst as quickly and are at higher risk of heat-related complications.
As the world continues to confront the realities of climate change, studies like this serve as an important reminder of the human cost of inaction. The nearly 50,000 deaths in Europe last year are a tragic testament to the urgency of the situation and a clear call for immediate and sustained efforts to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of a warming Earth.