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Climate Change Blamed for Thousands of Heat Wave Deaths Across Europe
1 Aug
Summary
- Scientists estimate 2,300 heat wave deaths in a dozen major European cities
- 65% of these deaths, around 1,500 people, would not have occurred without global warming
- Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change
In early July 2025, a scorching heat wave swept across Europe, with scientists quickly publishing estimates that 2,300 people may have died in a dozen major cities during the extreme, climate-fueled episode. The figure was meant to "grab some attention" and sound a timely warning, according to Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London.
The researchers found that climate change made the heat wave between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius hotter, depending on location, and that around 1,500 of the 2,300 deaths, or 65%, would not have occurred in a world without global warming. This "much stronger message" brings home the real-world impacts of climate change, said Otto.
Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-caused climate change, and they can claim tens of thousands of lives across Europe each summer. However, the true toll is often undercounted, as heat kills quietly through prolonged exposure, causing heat stroke, organ failure, and other deadly effects. The scientists hope their early mortality estimates will spur communities to better prepare for these deadly events.
