Brussels – Heat can be an enemy to health and the economy. Taking stock of the situation is the European Environment Agency (EEA), which notes that heat waves are responsible for 95% of deaths caused by extreme weather and climate events in Europe and now cost up to 0.5% of Europe’s annual GDP: a figure that could rise by 2060 to over 3% in the southern countries most affected.
According to estimates, high temperatures in the summer of 2022 caused up to 70 thousand deaths, and in 2023, over 47 thousand people died due to extreme heat waves across the continent. In addition, “heat waves hazardous to human health are becoming more frequent, longer and more intense” and “most alarmingly, they will continue to occur under all climate scenarios, potentially reaching catastrophic levels by mid-century,” writes the EEA. And the forecasts are worrying because the number of hot days and tropical nights is estimated to “increase significantly” across Europe. In this context, the elderly, infants, pregnant women, people in poor health, and outdoor workers are among the most vulnerable and it should be noted that, in European cities, 46 per cent of hospitals and 43 per cent of schools are located in areas with temperatures at least 2 °C warmer than the regional average, with their surroundings being “much less green than the city average”: 16 per cent and 10 per cent of green spaces within 300 m, respectively, compared to 42 per cent in cities. For this reason, the Agency points out that “urban green spaces, such as parks and tree-lined avenues, play a crucial role in mitigating heat.” “But,” warns the EEA, “we still have too few of them.”
The Agency recalls that most European policies take into account the fact that “heat has an impact on the heart and the way we breathe” and that, with this in mind, 21 out of 38 European countries have implemented action plans to combat heat and for health. “In Europe, heat waves have become more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting since 2000, a trend closely linked to climate change. Record-breaking temperatures and heat waves have been recorded in recent years, especially in southern Europe,” the agency writes. Tropical days are also occurring earlier in the year, temperatures will rise across Europe faster than the global average, and the frequency and intensity of heat extremes will increase.
But how does our body react to high temperatures? The EEA explains that, during heat waves, the human body struggles to regulate temperature, causing heat stress and dehydration. This also worsens the symptoms of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and the health problems caused by the heat put enormous pressure on our hospitals and clinics. For example, Portugal experienced a 19 per cent increase in daily hospital admissions during heatwaves, while France recorded a doubling of emergency room visits and three times as many doctor visits for heat-related conditions. “When heat stress combines with air pollution, the risk of dying from cardiovascular or respiratory problems increases. One of the main reasons for this is that heat waves form more tropospheric ozone; even short-term exposure to this substance can irritate the respiratory system, reduce lung function, worsen asthma and increase vulnerability to infections,” the EEAA points out.
In addition to health, heat waves also have profound economic and infrastructural consequences, reducing worker productivity, particularly in outdoor and non-air-conditioned environments, as high temperatures impair physical performance and cognitive functions. “Heat waves already cost Europe up to 0.5 per cent of its GDP per year, with projections suggesting that this figure could rise to over 3 per cent in the most affected southern countries by 2060. Moreover, extreme heat can damage transport infrastructure, such as railways and roads, and put a strain on energy systems due to an increased need for cooling,” the agency further points out. In this context, finally, the EEA notes that “the current level of policy preparedness is medium“: 21 of the 38 European Economic Area (EEA) countries have implemented heat-related health action plans, and four others are in the process of drawing them up, while 20 of the 37 national adaptation policies and 20 of the 34 health strategies across Europe mention the impact of heat on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in their texts. However, “urgent action is required.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
