Heatwave-hit Europe must adapt healthcare - WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging European leaders to invest in making health services more resilient to climate change as a deadly, record-setting heatwave grips the continent. The extreme temperatures have already caused dozens of deaths, disrupted transportation and electricity, and forced farmers into nighttime harvesting.

"The data are clear: temperatures across Europe are rising at roughly twice the global average rate, increasing the likelihood and severity of extreme heat in the future," stated WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He emphasized the urgent need for leaders to prioritize investments in climate-resilient health systems while simultaneously accelerating climate action to mitigate the crisis's drivers.

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The data are clear: temperatures across Europe are rising at roughly twice the global average rate, increasing the likelihood and severity of extreme heat in the future.

Scientists confirm that human-induced climate change is amplifying such extreme weather events, making heatwaves, droughts, and floods more intense and frequent. A recent study suggests that without climate change, the current temperatures in Europe would have been 2C to 4C cooler. The head of the UN's climate experts panel noted that the current heatwave has surpassed some scientific projections, warning that more extremes are inevitable as the planet warms.

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We cannot afford further delay. Leaders must prioritise investment in climate-resilient health systems, while also accelerating climate action and mitigating the drivers of the climate crisis.

Temperatures have soared above 40 degrees Celsius in several European cities, with France recording its hottest day on record. AFP calculations indicate that at least 94 million people across Europe are expected to experience temperatures above 35C, primarily in France and Spain. Experts warn that the hottest days are warming significantly faster than average days, increasing by a factor of 50 to 100 percent.

The WHO highlights the risk of acute mortality during high-intensity heatwaves, recalling that 70,000 people died in Europe during the 2003 heatwave. The organization provides specific advice for coping with extreme heat, recommending the use of electric fans only when temperatures are below 40C, as fans can heat the body above this threshold. For air conditioning, it suggests setting the thermostat to 27C and using an electric fan to create a cooling effect.

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Some things... have gone outside the envelope in terms of what we are experiencing.