Heatwave kills 2,300 in Europe, two-thirds linked to climate change
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A scientific assessment has found that around 2,300 people died during a ten-day Western European heatwave, with nearly two-thirds of the deaths linked to the intensifying effects of climate change.
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A man fans himself as he rests on a hot day in Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain, on June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Paul White, File)
A fast-tracked scientific assessment has found that approximately 2,300 people lost their lives during a ten-day heatwave that scorched Western Europe, with nearly two-thirds of those deaths attributed to the worsening effects of climate change.
The analysis, published on Wednesday, focused on the period ending July 2, during which temperatures soared above 40°C (104°F) in multiple countries. Cities such as Madrid, Milan, Barcelona, and London were among the 12 urban centers included in the study, which attributed 1,500 of the deaths to the intensification of the heatwave by climate change. "Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous," explained Dr. Ben Clarke of Imperial College London.
Conducted by researchers from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the study relied on historical mortality records and epidemiological models to rapidly estimate the toll, noting that heat-related deaths are often underreported or omitted from official data.
Europe's Heat Emergency
The findings echo a broader and accelerating crisis. Europe is warming at nearly twice the global average, and recent years have seen a sharp rise in heat-related deaths: more than 61,000 in 2022, over 47,000 in 2023, and now thousands more just in early summer 2025. In cities, the urban heat island effect and a lack of nighttime cooling have compounded the danger, especially for the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. In many cases, high overnight temperatures, known as "tropical nights," are preventing bodies from recovering from daytime stress, pushing mortality even higher.
The latest EU Copernicus bulletin confirmed that June 2025 was the third-warmest globally and the hottest ever recorded in Western Europe, with widespread "very strong heat stress," defined as conditions that feel like 38°C or more. This follows a pattern of increasingly severe heat waves that have overwhelmed infrastructure, disrupted transportation, triggered wildfires, and pushed hospitals to the brink.
Economically, the impact has also been severe. The 2025 heatwave alone is projected to shave 0.5% off EU GDP, with countries like Spain facing contractions of up to 1.4%.
In 2022, the total economic cost of extreme heat in Europe was estimated at over €40 billion, due to labor disruptions, agricultural losses, and energy supply constraints. The EU could save up to €150 billion annually through stronger climate adaptation and mitigation measures, according to recent research.
Read more: Heatwaves threaten economic growth in Europe and beyond, Allianz warns
Despite these mounting tolls, experts warn that policy responses remain dangerously inadequate. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at Copernicus.
