As a result of the extreme heat in 2023, over 47,000 people lost their lives throughout Europe, with the southern countries most affected, according to a report released on Monday by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).
The planet experienced its hottest year ever last year. Living in the fastest-warming continent in the world, Europeans are increasingly at risk for health problems due to extreme heat as a result of climate change.
According to the study by the Spanish research center, the 2023 death toll—which is lower than the more than 60,000 heat-related deaths predicted for the previous year—would have been 80% higher in the absence of policies put in place over the previous 20 years to assist people in adjusting to rising temperatures, such as early warning systems and advancements in healthcare.
Researchers used death and temperature records from 35 European countries. They estimate that 47,690 died from causes related to high temperatures.
Adjusting the data for population, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain were the countries with the highest mortality rates related to heat.
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