Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
A study has also estimated how many of the deaths that can be linked to human made climate changes.
A study has also estimated how many of the deaths that can be linked to human made climate changes.
What is happening?
A scorching heatwave that swept across Europe in late June is now estimated to have killed 2,300 people in just 12 cities, The Guardian reports.
Out of the 2,300 deaths, around 1,500 were attributed directly to climate breakdown.
Climate Breakdown Behind Most Deaths
Researchers used climate modelling to compare the death toll with a hypothetical world unaffected by human-induced global warming.
Milan, Italy
The Northern Italian city of Milan was hit hardest with 499 heat-related deaths.
Of those, 317 was linked to climate change.
Paris, France
The French capital, Paris, is second on the list with 373 deaths.
235 were linked to climate change.
Barcelona, Spain
The Northeastern Spanish city of Barcelona comes in third on the list with 340 heat-related deaths.
286 was linked to climate change.
Rome, Italy
The Italian capital, Rome, suffered 282 heat-related deaths.
Of these, 164 were linked to climate change.
London, UK
London in the United Kingdom saw 263 lives lost due to the heat-wave.
Of these, 171 were linked to climate change.
Athens, Greece
The Greek capital, Athens, recored 175 heat-related deaths.
Of those, 96 were linked to climate change.
Madrid, Spain
The Spanish capital, Madrid suffered 118 deaths during the heatwave.
Of these, 108 were linked to climate change.
Lisbon, Portugal
The Protuguese capital of Lisbon recorded 92 deaths during the heat-wave.
21 of those were linked to climate change.
Budapest, Hungary
The Hungarian capital, Budapest, saw 71 deaths during the heat-wave.
Of those, 47 were linked to climate change.
Zagreb, Croatia
Another Eastern European capital, Zagreb in Croatia, recorded 56 heat-related deaths.
31 of those were linked to climate change.
Frankfurt, Germany
Germany comes in 11th on the tragic list with Frankfurt recording 31 heat-related deaths.
21 of those were linked to climate change.
Sassari, Italy
Lst on the list is Sassari, Italy, with 8 recorded deaths.
6 of these were linked to climate change.
Older Adults Most at Risk
The elderly were disproportionately affected, with 88% of climate-related deaths occurring in people over the age of 65.
Most victims died quietly in homes or hospitals, making the toll largely invisible and underreported in media coverage.
The “Silent Killer” Strikes Again
Experts describe heatwaves as “silent killers” because, unlike floods or wildfires, their destruction often leaves no visible trace.
“A change of just 2 or 3°C can mean the difference between life and death,” said Ben Clarke of Imperial College London.
A Dangerous Summer Ahead
Historically, Europe sees an average of 44,000 heat-related deaths per year.
The sheer magnitude of fatalities from one heatwave signals an alarming trend, suggesting this summer could become one of the deadliest on record.
