Study Links 50,000 European Heat Deaths to Climate Change
NPR reports a new study attributing over 50,000 European city deaths this summer to record heat, with nearly two-thirds tied to human-caused climate change.
The story in focus
NPR reports that blistering record heat in Europe this summer helped kill more than 50,000 people, and a new study attributes nearly two-thirds of those deaths to human-caused climate change.
- The study modeled heat-related deaths in 854 European cities during June, July and August heat waves, finding 50,391 deaths from warmer temperatures.
- Of those, 32,619 were attributed to extra heat from burning coal, oil and gas, according to the study in an upcoming issue of Nature Health.
- The death toll was 71% higher than the previous deadliest summer, 29,480 in 2022, and authors said the figures are underestimates.
What the study found
The new study, reported by NPR, modeled heat-related deaths for different age groups in 854 European cities during repeated heat waves in June, July and August. It found 50,391 people died from warmer temperatures, and of those, 32,619 died because of the extra heat caused by burning coal, oil and gas. The research is scheduled for an upcoming issue of Nature Health.
That toll is 71% higher than the previous deadliest summer, which was 29,480 in 2022, according to the same researchers. The authors said the figures are underestimates because they exclude a deadly May heat wave and cover only the 854 cities, about 40% of Europe's population.
Who was most affected
More than half of those who died were age 85 or older, according to co-author Garyfallos Konstantinoudis. The study also counted more than 800 deaths among people ages 20 to 44. Italy, France, Spain and Germany had the highest death tolls.
How researchers attributed the deaths
The team used an established method to separate deaths from natural summer heat from those caused by climate change. They ran computer simulations of a world without climate change and compared the results with actual deaths. Lead author Clair Barnes said the share of heat deaths attributable to global warming has grown from about 45% in the early 2000s to 65% now.
Outside experts praised the methods as state-of-the-art. Dr. Courtney Howard, president-elect of the Canadian Medical Association, called for urgent investment in heat early-warning systems, equitable access to low-carbon cooling and neighborhood check-ins for at-risk people.
How many European heat deaths this summer were linked to human-caused climate change?
The study attributed 32,619 of the 50,391 heat-related deaths in 854 European cities to extra heat from burning coal, oil and gas, or nearly two-thirds of the total.
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