LONDON: The brutal heatwave that scorched Western Europe last week has left a devastating toll: an estimated 2,300 people dead across 12 major cities — with climate change responsible for at least 1,500 of those deaths, scientists revealed on Wednesday.
In a rapid-response study by Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, researchers concluded that the 10-day period ending July 2 marked one of the deadliest summer episodes in recent memory.
“Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous,” said Dr. Ben Clarke, lead researcher.
With temperatures breaching 40°C in Spain and wildfires erupting in France, the heatwave swept through major cities like London, Milan, Madrid, and Barcelona, causing severe stress on public health systems and vulnerable populations.
The scientists used historical mortality data and peer-reviewed epidemiological models to calculate the toll — which includes deaths from heatstroke, cardiovascular failures, and aggravated chronic illnesses.
The study found that climate change intensified the heatwave by as much as 4°C in several cities — enough to tip thousands of lives into danger.
“Even a few degrees of added heat can push the human body past its limits — especially among the elderly, infants, and those with pre-existing conditions,” said Clarke.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed June 2025 as Western Europe’s hottest on record, with much of the region experiencing “very strong heat stress” — defined as conditions feeling like 38°C or more.
“In a warming world, heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more lethal,” warned Samantha Burgess, strategic lead at Copernicus.
This marks a continuing trend: in 2022, over 61,000 people are believed to have died during Europe’s heatwaves, showing that government heat-preparedness plans remain dangerously inadequate.
At the core of this crisis is the relentless accumulation of greenhouse gases, mostly from fossil fuel combustion, that has raised the planet’s average temperature and supercharged extreme weather.
As the climate baseline rises, even routine summer heatwaves now escalate into mass-casualty disasters.
Scientists Sound the Alarm: Prepare Now or Pay Later
Experts are urging European nations to radically improve heat preparedness, from early warning systems to cooling shelters and urban planning.
“This isn’t the future — it’s now,” the report states. “Without urgent action, Europe’s summers will continue to claim thousands of lives.”
