‘Heat deaths are not inevitable’: WHO pushes Europe to heat‑proof its hospitals
Europe is the fastest-warming continent on the planet, with temperatures rising at approximately twice the global average, which is placing growing pressure on health systems, social care services and communities already facing more frequent and intense heatwaves. Data from five countries already shows nearly 10,000 excess deaths linked to the extreme heat this summer. The heat is on WHO described extreme heat as an urgent and growing public health threat that is expected to hit harder each year. It is driven by climate change and worsened by urbanization and population ageing, rapidly increasing illness and deaths. “Our region is the fastest-warming region globally. In the past four years alone, heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives, while heat-related mortality has risen by 30 per cent over the past 20 years,” said Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. He stressed that “heat deaths are not inevitable” because “we know how to protect people: warn communities early, make cities cooler, ensure access to water and shade, check on those most at risk and prepare health systems before temperatures peak.”
