Heatwaves Killed Over 200,000 Europeans in Four Years, WHO Warns

Heatwaves have killed more than 200,000 people across Europe in the past four years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed, warning that extreme heat is rapidly emerging as one of the continent’s deadliest public health threats.

The warning came on Thursday as WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, launched an updated Heat–Health Action Plans (HHAPs) Guidance in Berlin, urging governments to adopt stronger and more coordinated responses to increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves.

“We need a coordinated, powerful and institutional response,” Kluge said during the launch.

According to the WHO, Europe is warming faster than any other continent, exposing millions of people particularly older adults, those with pre-existing medical conditions and other vulnerable groups to heightened health risks.

The agency said the updated guidance provides governments and local authorities with evidence-based strategies to reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths. These include the establishment of early warning systems, cooling centres, urban greening projects and targeted support for vulnerable populations during periods of extreme heat.

While encouraging individuals to stay hydrated and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, the WHO stressed that personal precautions alone would not be sufficient to tackle what it described as a growing systemic challenge driven by climate change.

Heat-health action plans are designed to help countries and cities anticipate, prepare for and respond effectively to extreme heat events through coordinated interventions across public health, emergency management and social care systems.

“Our goal is clear, and our ambition is bold: zero heat-related deaths,” Kluge said.

The WHO described extreme heat as an urgent and escalating public health emergency, noting that climate change, urbanisation and ageing populations are intensifying its impact. The organisation warned that heatwaves not only increase mortality and illness but also place significant pressure on healthcare and social welfare systems.

“The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat; it is a stark reality, and its most immediate and lethal manifestation is extreme heat,” Kluge stated in the updated guidance document.

Reflecting on developments since the publication of the first heat-health guidance in 2008, he noted that Europe has witnessed a dramatic increase in both the frequency and severity of heatwaves.

“These are no longer anomalies but a recurring feature every year, exerting a heavy toll on human health, straining our health systems and widening the gap of health inequities,” he said.

Kluge recalled that in 2023, he formally declared the climate crisis and extreme weather events a public health emergency across the WHO European Region. He also referenced the 2024 call by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres for stronger international cooperation to address the growing threat posed by extreme heat.

Health experts have repeatedly warned that without significant climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, heat-related deaths are likely to continue rising across Europe and other parts of the world in the coming decades.