June record: Over 2,300 heat deaths in Western Europe due to climate change!

June record: Over 2,300 heat deaths in Western Europe due to climate change!

June 2023 will go down in the history books of Western Europe as a record month: it has now been confirmed that it was the hottest June ever recorded, with an average temperature of 20.49 degrees Celsius. This is according to the latest data from the EU climate change service Copernicus, which dates back to 1950. Particularly explosive: Extremes of over 40 degrees Celsius have been reached in many cities, as a comprehensive study shows, which also points to the devastating heat-related deaths. The result: During the period of a heat wave from the end of June to the beginning of July, a total of around 2,300 deaths were counted in twelve major European cities, a dramatic increase that is strongly linked to climate change. Statistically, around 1,500 of these deaths were directly attributed to rising temperatures caused by global warming. At a time when many people had not yet fully felt the heat, the risk was particularly high. Without the influence of climate change, only 800 people would have died from heat, highlighting the alarming impact of global warming. [PZ News reports](https://www.pz-news.de/home_artikel,-Rekord-Juni-fuer-Westeuropa-Hohe- Zahl-von-Hitzetoten-_arid,2239875.html).

If you look at the numbers in detail, it becomes clear that older citizens are particularly suffering from the heat. 88 percent of heat-related deaths affected people aged 65 and over. The numbers were particularly high in urban areas such as Milan (320 additional deaths), Barcelona (286) and Paris (235). London (171) and Frankfurt (21) also suffered from the extreme temperatures that climate change is driving up globally, and not just in Europe. Globally, June 2023 was the third warmest on record, and global temperatures have risen 1.3 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. That heatwaves cause more deaths than other natural disasters, such as the Valencia floods in which 224 people died, is as telling as it is worrying. DW.de makes the point that daily maximum temperatures are rising by 1 to 4 degrees Celsius due to climate change. And a difference of just 2 to 3 degrees can mean a life-threatening situation for many.

Health effects and social challenges

The health consequences of the heat are particularly worrying. Studies show that over 47,000 people in Europe died as a result of high temperatures in the summer of 2023 alone. It is clear that the most vulnerable groups, especially people with previous illnesses or the older generations, suffer particularly from heat stress. The Robert Koch Institute estimates that the actual number of cases caused by tropical diseases transmitted by spreading species such as the Asian tiger mosquito could be 40 to 50 times higher than officially documented. Deutschlandfunk emphasizes that the spread of such diseases represents a huge health risk and arises adjacent to the psychological challenges that are manifesting themselves in many people as a result of climate change.

Politics faces enormous challenges. Many cities are still not adequately prepared for the health risks caused by heat waves, which is being critically examined by experts, particularly in Germany. Lack of shade, insufficient green space and excessive sealing are some of the problems that need to be addressed to better survive the heat wave. Proposals to reduce the effects of climate change, such as stopping the burning of fossil fuels and expanding renewable energy, are truly a challenge that society must face. It should not be forgotten that measures to adapt to climate change, such as the creation of shaded areas or expanded heat protection concepts, are not just guidelines, but instructions for action that will be of crucial importance for future generations.