Europe’s summer heat linked to more than 50,000 deaths
More than 50,000 people are estimated to have died from extreme heat in European urban areas during the summer of 2026, with climate change linked to around two-thirds of the deaths, according to a study by scientists from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The researchers examined 854 urban areas across 30 countries, including the 27 European Union member states, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland. The areas covered approximately 40% of the population of those countries.
Their analysis used temperature records and statistical models based on historical links between heat and mortality to estimate excess deaths during the summer months between 2000 and 2026.
Highest heat-related death toll since 2000
The estimated death toll for summer 2026 was the highest recorded in the study period, surpassing previous major heat events.
Researchers estimated that heat-related deaths reached around 29,000 in 2022 and 28,000 in 2003.
Approximately one-third of this summer’s estimated fatalities occurred between June 17 and July 1, when average daily temperatures across the region exceeded the 1991-2020 average by more than 5 degrees Celsius.
Western Europe recorded the largest temperature anomalies, with repeated heatwaves placing significant pressure on public health.
Southern and western Europe hardest hit
Cities in southern and western Europe were among the worst affected, experiencing some of the highest temperatures and estimated numbers of heat-related deaths.
Urban areas in northern European countries, including the United Kingdom, also suffered significant losses, with an estimated 4,500 deaths attributed to heat in these generally cooler regions.
Temperatures throughout the summer averaged around 2.9 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 baseline, with the difference reaching as much as 12 degrees on some days.
Older people and younger adults also affected
Although heat-related deaths disproportionately affect older people, the researchers estimated that approximately 6,000 people under the age of 65 died from heat-related causes in the urban areas examined this summer.
The findings highlight the broad public health impact of extreme temperatures, extending beyond traditionally vulnerable older populations.
The researchers attributed approximately two-thirds of the estimated deaths to climate change driven by fossil fuel use, underlining the role of human-caused global warming in intensifying deadly heat events across Europe.
Source:AA
