Researchers have focused on ten days – June 23 to July 2 – in twelve cities. Their conclusion is that two-thirds, 65 percent, of the deaths were caused by climate change that exacerbated the heat wave.
The rapid analysis was made by the research network World Weather Attribution (WWA), and the results have not been reviewed by other researchers according to the "peer review" system. But the methods used are scientifically recognized.
Milan was hit the hardest, where 317 of 499 deaths are attributed to climate change, followed by Paris and Barcelona.
Elderly exposed
Researchers warn that the temperatures of the heat waves will continue to rise and that the number of deaths in the future will therefore likely be higher. Elderly people are particularly exposed. According to the study, 88 percent of those who died due to the heat were over 65 years old.
Malcolm Mistry, co-author and epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, says in a comment that the study points to why heat waves are known as "silent killers".
"A handful of deaths have been reported in Spain, France, and Italy, but thousands more are estimated to have died as a result of the high temperatures and their deaths will not be registered as heat-related."
Third warmest
According to the EU's weather service Copernicus, the average temperature globally in June was 16.46 degrees plus, which makes it the third warmest June month measured. June was 0.20 degrees cooler than the record from last year and 0.06 degrees cooler than the second warmest June month, which occurred in 2023.
"In a warmer world, heat waves will become more common, more intense, and affect more people around Europe", says Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus, in a press release.
Corrected: In an earlier version, there was an incorrect statement about June 2023.
