Europe Heatwave Deaths Surged to 47,000 in 2023: Study

Europe Heatwave Deaths Surged to 47,000 in 2023: Study

A recent study has revealed that more than 47,000 people across Europe died due to extreme heat in 2023, which was recorded as the hottest year globally. This data comes from a modelling study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, published in the journal Nature Medicine on Monday.

Using mortality data from Eurostat, the European Statistical Office, the research team estimated heat-related deaths across 823 regions in 35 European countries, revealing a total of 47,690 deaths due to the high temperatures last year. This marked the second-highest heat-related mortality since similar calculations began in 2015, with the highest being in 2022.

Countries in southern Europe, including Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain, showed the highest mortality rates. Greece topped the list with 393 deaths per million inhabitants, followed by Bulgaria with 229, Italy with 209, and Spain with 175. In contrast, Germany recorded 76 deaths per million inhabitants.

The study also highlighted that women and older adults were disproportionately affected by the heat. The researchers emphasized that without societal adaptations—such as advancements in healthcare, social protections, and public awareness—the death toll could have been significantly higher. In fact, they estimated that without these measures, heat-related mortality in 2023 would have been 80% higher across the general population and over 100% higher among those aged 80 and above.

Lead researcher Elisa Gallo noted that societal adaptations have reduced vulnerability to extreme temperatures over recent decades. She pointed out that the minimum mortality temperature, which is the optimal temperature with the lowest risk of death, has risen from 15°C in 2000-2004 to 17.7°C in 2015-2019, reflecting improved resilience to heat.

The research team also introduced “Forecaster.health,” an online tool providing early warnings of heat and cold-related mortality risks across 580 regions in 31 European countries. This tool offers forecasts up to 15 days in advance, using both meteorological data and epidemiological models.