Europe has entered a concerning period this summer due to high temperatures. While some regions record the highest temperatures in history and some people enjoy sunny days during their holidays, it is also clearly seen that extreme heat can lead to deadly consequences. A new study reveals that rising temperatures are putting unexpectedly significant pressure on public health. Scientists at Imperial College London demonstrated that heat-related deaths in the United Kingdom exceed 1,000 and are directly linked to global warming.
According to researcher Dr. Clair Barnes, even small increases in temperatures could pose a vital risk for thousands of people. Barnes reminds us that “climate change should not be treated as a problem on its own in the future”; as governments delay moving away from fossil fuels, summer temperatures become even more deadly.
In 854 cities studied across Europe, approximately 24,400 heat-related deaths are expected this summer, of which 68% are attributed to climate change. This means that the number of deaths shown for people is about 16,500 more than what would be observed without human-induced warming. This situation suggests that especially the elderly population is increasingly at risk.
Invisible danger: Silent killers! Dr. Garyfallos Konstantinoudis from Imperial College London describes heatwaves as “silent killers”: “Most of the deaths occur in the homes or hospitals of individuals with existing health issues; however, heat is not seen as a necessary cause in official death records.” Therefore, although extreme weather events are the deadliest, temperatures have long been underestimated in public health. Konstantinoudis notes that there are people working outdoors even at temperatures above 40°C, which means ignoring risky situations.
Dr. Pierre Masselot from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine sees this summer as a sharp warning about the seriousness of climate change. Professor Friederike Otto at Imperial College London emphasizes that “if the burning of fossil fuels continues over the last decade, most of the people who died in Europe today could still be alive.” Experts state that adaptive policies such as flexible working hours, increasing green spaces in cities, and the use of air conditioning are vital, but unless greenhouse gas emissions are rapidly reduced, the effectiveness of these efforts will be limited. Additionally, similar health risks are expected to increase in other sectors such as agriculture.
