Climate change nearly tripled heat-related deaths during Europe's recent heatwave, with roughly 1,500 of 2,300 estimated fatalities directly attributable to global warming, researchers from Imperial College London found.

The study examined 12 European cities during the severe heatwave that struck Western Europe in late June and early July, when authorities triggered heat health alerts across the continent as temperatures soared, Statista data shows.

Scientists from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment used epidemiological models to compare actual death tolls with a counterfactual scenario removing the estimated temperature increases caused by 1.3°C of global warming.

 

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In 10 of the 12 locations studied, excluding Milan and Lisbon, climate change increased extreme temperatures by 2°C to 4°C, dramatically affecting how heat impacts human health.

The research showed that 65% of estimated excess deaths resulted from climate change increasing temperatures by 1°C to 4°C, effectively tripling the death toll compared to what would have occurred without global warming.

Climate change had a similar deadly effect across all age groups, with deaths attributable to warming accounting for around 60% of estimated excess deaths regardless of age. Whilst those aged 75 and older faced the highest risk, younger age groups also suffered significantly.

The findings underscore the deadly impact of rising global temperatures on European populations, with Western Europe already experiencing increased extreme heat events in recent years.

Scientific consensus confirms that human-induced global warming has made heatwaves in the region far more likely, with temperatures observed in countries including France, Italy, Spain and the UK being much less probable without climate change.

The European summer had barely begun when the continent was struck by its first severe heatwave of the season, forcing authorities to issue widespread health warnings.

Studies have consistently shown that climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of heatwaves globally, with Western Europe particularly vulnerable to extreme heat events.

"Deaths attributable to climate change accounted for around 60% of estimated excess deaths in all age groups," the researchers said.