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More than 60,000 people died from extreme heat across Europe during last summer's unprecedented temperatures, according to a major study that underscores the growing health crisis posed by climate change on the continent.
The research, published Monday in Nature Medicine, found that Europe's 2024 summer claimed an estimated 62,775 lives due to heat-related causes — nearly 25 percent more than the previous year's toll of approximately 50,800 deaths.
Scientists at Barcelona's Institute for Global Health analyzed mortality data from 32 European countries covering 539 million people to reach their conclusions. The findings highlight Europe's vulnerability as the continent warms at twice the global average rate.
"Europe experienced an exceptionally deadly summer in 2024 with more than 60,000 heat-related deaths, bringing the total burden over the past three summers to more than 181,000," the study authors wrote.
Italy bore the heaviest burden with an estimated 19,000 heat-related deaths, followed by Spain and Germany, each recording over 6,000 fatalities. When adjusted for population size, Greece showed the highest death rate at 574 deaths per million residents, with Bulgaria and Serbia following closely behind.
The 2024 death toll, while representing a significant increase from 2023, remained below the 67,873 heat deaths recorded during Europe's scorching 2022 summer. However, researchers caution that these figures carry substantial uncertainty ranges, with 2024 estimates spanning from 35,000 to 85,000 deaths.
Lead author Tomas Janos of ISGlobal emphasized that the numbers are not "ultimate and precise," citing inherent challenges in heat-death research. Heat is rarely listed as a direct cause of death, yet it contributes to fatal heart attacks, strokes, respiratory conditions and other health complications beyond immediate effects like heatstroke and dehydration.
The study comes as Europe continues to grapple with record-breaking temperatures. This past summer, which recently concluded, is believed to have set new heat records in countries including Spain and the United Kingdom.
A separate rapid analysis released last week estimated that human-caused climate change was responsible for approximately 16,500 deaths during the 2025 summer season, though that study focused only on European cities and represented a fraction of the continent's population.
The Nature Medicine researchers also tested an early warning system that uses weather forecasts to issue emergency alerts before dangerous heatwaves strike. Their analysis showed the system could reliably predict deadly heat events at least one week in advance.
"This early warning system is an unexplored opportunity to save lives among the most vulnerable populations," said study co-author Joan Ballester Claramunt from ISGlobal.
The findings add urgency to calls for comprehensive heat adaptation strategies across Europe, particularly for protecting elderly populations who face disproportionate risks during extreme temperature events. As climate change continues to intensify, researchers argue that such early warning systems could become critical tools in reducing preventable deaths during future heatwaves.
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