Between 2000 and 2019, WHO recorded 489,000 heat-related deaths per year, with Europe accounting for 36% of these, averaging 176,040 deaths annually during this period.

The WHO’s European region, extending to Central Asia, is warming at approximately double the global average rate. “People across the region and its 53 member states are paying the highest price,” said regional director Hans Kluge in a press release.

In the past 20 years, heat-related mortality has increased by 30% in this region.

“Extreme temperatures exacerbate chronic conditions, particularly cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as mental health issues and disorders linked to diabetes,” explains WHO Europe.

They also cause “heat stress,” which occurs when the human body cannot maintain its temperature between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius, now the leading climate-related cause of death in the region.

According to WHO, the number of heat-related deaths is expected to “skyrocket” in the coming years due to global warming, which has led to an increase in heatwaves in Europe in recent decades.

“The three warmest years ever recorded in the WHO European region have occurred since 2020, and the ten warmest years have been recorded since 2007,” Kluge noted.

The UN organization suggests that we can combat heat by adopting simple behaviors: staying in cool places, keeping our homes cool, and hydrating regularly.