Europe faces "deadly summers” due to heat

The heat waves of the summer of 2024 caused more than 62,000 deaths in Europe, according to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine and conducted by researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health. It is the third consecutive year in which heat-related mortality has exceeded alarming thresholds, with the toll of the last three summers reaching more than 181,000 victims.

• Europe, the continent that is warming the fastest

The study highlights that Europe is the most vulnerable region to global climate warming, with summers becoming increasingly hot. The summer of 2024 was declared the hottest on record on the continent, after the previous record in 2022, followed by a brief lull in 2023.

• How heat affects health

Researchers point out that the risks associated with extreme temperatures are not limited to heatstroke or dehydration. Cardiovascular, respiratory diseases, diabetes and mental disorders are aggravated by exposure to heat, especially among the elderly and vulnerable.

• Estimates and uncertainties

For the summer of 2024, the toll was calculated at 62,775 deaths, but the estimated range is wider - between 35,000 and 85,000 victims - due to methodological variables, the study informs, quoted by AFP. However, the researchers insist that, regardless of the exact figures, the message remains the same: heat kills tens of thousands of Europeans every year.

• Italy and Spain, the most affected

The most victims were recorded in Italy (between 13,858 and 23,506 deaths) and Spain (between 4,655 and 8,513 deaths). Relative to the population, the situation was even worse in Greece and Bulgaria, where heat-related mortality reached record levels.

• Summer 2025 - the first alarming signals

Although the full analysis for this summer will not be published until 2026, a recent British study already estimates over 15,000 deaths caused by heat waves in 2025 in about 1,000 European cities. Specialists warn that the real toll will most likely be much higher.

• A major public health problem

The authors of the study point out that public health policies must take these alarming data into account. Adapting urban infrastructure, protecting vulnerable groups and preventing heatwaves are becoming priorities to limit the deadly impact of heatwaves.

"Both rapid and in-depth estimates are useful,” said Tomas Janos, the study's lead author.