WHO sounds the alarm: Heat caused by climate change is causing more and more deaths in Europe

Created: 07/11/2022, 22:16

By: Patrick Freiwah

Is Europe the continent most threatened by climate change?

A recent WHO report announces a frightening number of heat deaths.

Geneva/Munich - Dramatic report by the WHO, which does not bode well, especially from the point of view of Europe: Since the beginning of 2022, at least 15,000 people have died on our continent as a result of the severe heat waves.

This was announced by the World Health Organization at the 27th World Climate Conference (COP27) taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt).

A large proportion of the fatalities came from Germany, explained Hans Kluge, the responsible regional director of the United Nations special agency.

There were almost 4,000 deaths in Spain, Great Britain is affected with more than 3,200.

The number of unreported cases is likely to be even higher in the WHO Europe region as more countries report their excessive heat deaths, the scientist said.

Climate change: Summer 2022 will claim numerous heat deaths in Europe

According to him, the three months from June to August alone were the hottest in Europe since weather records began.

The exceptionally high temperatures in the summer of 2022 led to the worst drought the continent has experienced since the Middle Ages.

In general, according to the studies on the local continent, there has been an escalation of heat waves, droughts and forest fires in the past summer months - with massive effects on the health of many people.

Most recently, there were even “extreme highs” in Italy at the end of October.

"Climate change is killing us now, but strong action today can prevent more deaths," the WHO said.

According to a UN report last week, Europe is also the fastest warming continent.

A shocking finding serves as evidence: over the past 30 years, Europe has recorded a temperature increase almost twice as high as the global average.

Setting sun on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne after a hot, muggy day in July 2022. © IMAGO/Christoph Hardt

Heat waves in Europe – “We are on the highway to climate hell”

The result of climate change increases the risk of heat stress among residents - a condition in which the body cannot cool itself.

This in turn is the main cause of weather-related deaths in the designated WHO region of Europe.

According to the WHO, increasing vulnerability to heat waves and other extreme weather events will lead to even more illnesses and deaths in the coming decades.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also spoke somber words in Egypt about the devastating consequences of global warming: "We're on the highway to climate hell - with our foot on the accelerator".