New data from the European mortality monitor EuroMOMO reveals that the extreme heatwaves which scorched western Europe in late June led to more than 10,000 excess deaths across the continent. The vast majority—over 9,000—occurred among individuals aged 65 and older, according to the figures backed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organisation.
Temperature records tumbled in several countries as the heatwave gripped Belgium, Britain, France, and Spain. The World Weather Attribution group of scientists concluded that the June heatwaves would have been virtually impossible without the influence of climate change.
UK Study Estimates 2,700 Heat-Related Deaths in May and June
A separate study released on Monday by researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimates that at least 2,700 people died in England and Wales as a direct result of the heatwaves that struck in May and June. The analysis used weather data, climate models, and historical mortality studies to arrive at the figure.
The UK, like much of western Europe, experienced two unprecedented heatwaves during those months. Monthly temperature records were set at 35.1°C in May and 37.7°C in June in England. Mark McCarthy, science manager of the Met Office's climate attribution team, noted in the study that these were extreme heatwaves for the UK and for all parts of western Europe, and particularly exceptional for how early in the year they occurred.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is expected to publish its official estimate of heat-related deaths in the coming weeks. Lea Berrang Ford, head of UKHSA's Centre for Climate and Health Security, said the models in the study help illustrate the scale of risk associated with extreme heat and the growing threat climate change poses to wellbeing.
The study estimates that around 550 people died during the 21–29 May heatwave, and nearly 2,200 died during the 18–28 June period in England and Wales. The authors stress that climate change is making heatwaves more intense and frequent, estimating that maximum daytime temperatures were 3°C to 4°C higher than they would have been without global warming.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), which advises the UK government, warned last year that the country was not ready to deal with the consequences of climate change. As Europe faces more frequent and severe heatwaves, the need for adaptation measures—from better urban planning to public health alerts—becomes ever more urgent.
For those seeking practical advice on coping with extreme heat without relying on air conditioning, our guide on what actually works to beat Europe's heat without AC offers evidence-based tips. Meanwhile, the broader context of rising temperatures is explored in our coverage of western Europe enduring its hottest June on record.
