The summer of 2022 was the hottest season on record in Europe, characterized by an intense series of heat waves. This study aimed to quantify the sex- and age-specific mortality burden associated with these record-breaking temperatures. Epidemiological models were applied to a mortality database representing the entire population of Europe, including over 543 million people across 35 countries. The study found an estimated 61,672 heat-related deaths in Europe between 30 May and 4 September 2022, with Italy, Spain, and Germany having the highest numbers. The study also found that women had a higher risk of heat-related death than men, particularly for women aged 80 years and older. The findings highlight the urgent need for reevaluation and strengthening of existing heat surveillance platforms, prevention plans, and long-term adaptation strategies to mitigate the increasing impact of climate change on human health.

Joan Ballester, Marcos Quijal-Zamorano, Raúl Fernando Méndez Turrubiates, Ferran Pegenaut, François R Herrmann, Jean Marie Robine, Xavier Basagaña, Cathryn Tonne, Josep M Antó, Hicham Achebak