A new study estimates that Europe’s heatwave claimed 2300 lives across 12 cities between June 23 and July 2. Climate change was responsible for 1,500 of those fatalities. Vulnerable populations were at serious risk from the heatwave, which saw temperatures in Spain above 40°C and caused wildfires in France.

Cooling centers were provided, outdoor labor was prohibited, and schools were closed as part of the relief efforts. The results underscore the urgent need for improved heat preparedness amid intensifying climate impacts.

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Heatwave Impact and Climate Contribution

Researchers from Imperial College London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, as well as institutions in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland, published their analysis on July 9, 2025, and found that the intensification of the heatwave was responsible for two-thirds of the total 2,300 deaths attributed to climate change.

The study focused on deaths where heat was the primary cause or exacerbated health conditions using epidemiological models and historical mortality data. In 11 of the 12 cities, researchers discovered that climate change raised temperatures by 2-4°C, increasing the dangers for outdoor workers, older people, and children. This temperature rise made the heatwave dangerous, according to Imperial College London’s Ben Clarke.

Europe’s Heatwave Claimed 2300 Lives: Urgent Policy Response Underway

The soaring death toll prompted authorities to implement immediate relief measures across the continent. To combat heat stress, 2,200 schools in France closed on July 1, 2025, and public swimming pools in Paris were made free of charge. Hospital admissions in Tuscany increased by 20%, while Italy restricted outdoor labor in 13 regions due to extreme heat.

Firefighters rescued 18,000 people from the flames in Catalonia, while Spain issued health advisories urging people to stay hydrated and seek shade. To safeguard the environment of the Aare River from the release of hot water, the Beznau Nuclear Power Plant in Switzerland shut down.

By 2100, 100 million people are expected to experience intense heatwaves annually, according to the European Climate Risk Assessment, highlighting the need for long-term solutions such as improved building design and urban greening.

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Broader Context and Future Preparedness

June 2025 was the warmest in Western Europe, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, with “extreme heat stress” conditions of 38°C or above. There are still gaps in preparedness, as evidenced by a 2023 study that anticipated 61,000 heat-related deaths in 2022.

Samantha Burgess from Copernicus warned that rising baseline temperatures resulting from fossil fuel emissions will increase the frequency of heat waves. In terms of urban planning and health system preparedness, only 21 of the 57 countries in the WHO Europe region have national heat-health action plans.

The study and related EU policy emphasize the urgent need for strong climate adaptation, including resilient infrastructure, urban greening, and improved public health initiatives to lessen the effects of future heatwaves.

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Estimated Heat-Related Deaths by City

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