News
Rapidly increasing likelihood of exceeding 45-50°C and heat-related deaths in the Mediterranean and Middle East
21 Aug 2023With climate change, the likelihood of extremely hot days, associated with excess mortality, is increasing rapidly. In parts of the Mediterranean and Middle East, temperatures above 45-50°C are more likely than in pre-industrial times, and could be experienced every year in the hotter locations by the end of the century. The region may face several additional weeks with risks for heat-related fatalities by 2100, which stresses the need for effective adaptation planning.
WHO/EU statement: Without preparation heat can be deadly
17 Aug 2023In a statement, WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Henri P. Kluge, urges preparation to prevent fatalities related to heatwaves, such as the one that hit many regions in Europe in July. Besides immediate steps to protect ourselves and others, longer-term measures are urgently needed in Europe.
Experiences in emergency ward during Sicilian heatwave call for action to reduce climate change impacts
16 Aug 2023WHO/Europe lets professionals from the Cervello Hospital in Palermo (Italy) speak about their experiences in the emergency room during the July heatwave on Sicily. Both doctors place the emergency situation caused by extreme heat on par with the conditions when Covid-19 hit the region first, and emphasize the urgent need to prepare the society, and health workers in particular, for the threats posed by climate change.
How climate change is disrupting rainfall patterns and putting our health at risk
14 Aug 2023Climate change isn’t only about temperature rise. The warming of the planet also has repercussions on rainfall with both droughts and extreme rainfall becoming more common in different parts of the world. Learn why and how we should act, but also how Europe remembers what has already been lost.
Commonly used indices disagree on the role of humidity in heat-health impacts
05 Aug 2023Different indices for health impacts of heat stress (HSIs) use different relative importances of temperature and humidity, and may therefore support different adaptation measures to reduce adverse health effects.
WMO to strengthen heat-health early warnings and action plans in response to global heatwaves
04 Aug 2023Recent heatwaves across the globe induce the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to step up its efforts to strengthen heat-health early warnings and integrated action plans for heatwaves.
Half of children in Europe and Central Asia exposed to high heatwave frequency, all will be by 2050
02 Aug 2023Around half of the 184 million children in Europe and Central Asia are exposed to high heatwave frequency, according to a new UNICEF policy brief. This is double the global average of 1 in 4 children exposed to high heatwave frequency. By 2050, all European children would be exposed to the risks of high heatwave frequency.
Experts ask focus on action, not on differences in heat-related death counts
01 Aug 2023Experts have shared their opinion about why heat mortality figures can differ for one location. Without one perfect and absolute way to measure heat-related deaths, counts depend on the approach used and the availability high-quality data. Yet, all numbers point to high levels of excess heat-related mortality. The main challenge is not to improve the precision of heat-death calculations, but to identify and implement solutions to reduce mortality and other heat impacts.
Over 61,000 excess deaths quantified in Europe due to heat in record summer 2022
28 Jul 2023Heat in the 2022 summer caused more than 61,000 excess heat-related deaths among the European population, according to a recent study published in Nature Medicine.
Adoption of Budapest Declaration leveraging action on health challenges related to climate change
27 Jul 2023At the 7th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, organised by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EU) early July 2023, health and environment ministers of countries of the WHO European Region adopted the Budapest Declaration. The declaration prioritizes urgent, wide-ranging action on health challenges related to climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss.