By AsianNews18 | International News
EUROPE: Extreme summer heat across Europe is estimated to have caused 50,391 deaths between June and August 2026, according to a new study by researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London.
The study examined temperatures and estimated heat-related mortality across 854 urban areas in 30 European countries. Researchers found that approximately 32,619 of the estimated deaths were attributable to human-induced climate change, driven largely by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.
The estimated death toll is significantly higher than the figures recorded during previous deadly summers, including 2022. Researchers warned that prolonged heatwaves pose a growing threat to public health, particularly among elderly people and other vulnerable groups.
Italy, France, Spain and Germany were among the countries with the highest estimated numbers of heat-related deaths. Scientists stressed the need for better heat-warning systems, improved urban infrastructure, more green spaces and stronger public-health measures to protect people from extreme temperatures.
The findings highlight the growing human cost of climate change and the urgent need for governments to prepare for increasingly dangerous heatwaves.
Important clarification: The study links the estimated deaths primarily to extreme heat and human-induced climate change. It does not establish El Niño as the direct cause of the reported death toll.
Source: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London. .
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