The WHO warns that heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death in Europe and deaths from extreme heat will increase with global warming, urging governments to protect the most vulnerable.
Between 2000 and 2019, 489,000 heat-related deaths were recorded annually worldwide, and in Europe around 175,000 people die each year from heat-related causes, a figure that could increase due to continued global warming, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, highlighting that temperatures in Europe are rising at twice the global rate.
Heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death in Europe, according to the WHO, which is urging governments to take action to protect vulnerable people from the effects of extreme heat. The WHO notes that the negative health impacts of heat and extreme temperatures are largely avoidable.
WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge has stressed that more than 50 countries in the Old Continent are suffering severely from global warming. He recalled that the planet recently reached the highest average temperature on record, 17.16ºC, with heat waves affecting the northern hemisphere. Kluge added that the three warmest years in Europe have been recorded since 2020 and that the warmest decade was documented since 2007.
What are heat waves?
The WHO defines heat waves as “periods of unusually hot and dry or hot and humid weather that have a subtle onset and end, a duration of at least two to three days, and a noticeable impact on human activities.” Heat waves are distinct from warm spells. A warm spell is a persistent period of abnormally warm weather at a location, defined in terms of the 90th or 95th percentile of daily maximum temperature that can occur at any time of the year, while heat waves only occur in the warm season.
Heat aggravates health problems
“In Europe, heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death,” Kluge said, adding that current extreme temperatures aggravate chronic health problems, including cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as affecting mental health and diabetes-related conditions. Kluge stressed that extreme heat is especially dangerous for elderly people living alone and can place an additional burden on pregnant women.
In this context, the WHO urged governments to implement measures to protect vulnerable people from heat shock. Although more than 20 countries in Europe already have plans in place to deal with such situations, the health agency noted that they are still not enough to protect all communities.
“The Earth is getting hotter and more dangerous for everyone, everywhere”
The climate crisis is already pushing temperatures to intolerable levels in some regions. Last month, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for action against extreme heat. “The Earth is getting hotter and more dangerous for everyone, everywhere,” he said. Guterres’ remarks coincided with the week that saw the three warmest days on Earth in recent history, according to data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
On July 22, 2024, the global average daily temperature reached a record high of 17.16°C, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. On July 23, the preliminary value was 17.15°C, and on July 21, the temperature reached 17.09°C. These three days surpassed the previous record of 17.08°C, set on July 6, 2023.
How to avoid the negative impact of extreme heat
Dr Kluge reiterated that the negative health effects of heat and extreme heat are largely preventable. “If we are better prepared for a warmer region, we will save many lives, both now and in the future,” he said.
To deal with heat waves, the WHO has made the following recommendations:
- Stay out of the heat: Avoid going outside and doing strenuous activities during the hottest hours. Stay in the shade and do not leave children or animals in parked vehicles. Whenever possible, spend two or three hours in a cool place, such as a shopping mall or movie theater.
- Keeping the house cool: Use night air to cool the house. Reduce the heat load inside the home during the day by using blinds or shutters, and ventilating the house at night.
- Keep your body cool and hydrated: wear light, loose clothing, take cold showers or baths and drink water regularly, avoiding sugary and alcoholic drinks or those containing caffeine because they dehydrate.
- Take care of yourself and others and check in with family, friends and neighbors, especially the elderly, especially if they live alone.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
