WHO Says Heat Waves Killed More Than 200,000 People in Europe Since 2022

Overview

• The WHO announced on Thursday that over 200,000 people in Europe died from extreme heat between 2022 and 2026 and that most of those deaths could have been prevented.
• The findings were presented in Berlin as the WHO launched guidance urging governments to set up early-warning systems, adopt national heat action plans and strengthen health services to reduce heat risk.
• The agency warned that Europe is warming faster than other regions and identified Italy, Spain and Greece as having large shares of premature heat deaths due to higher exposure and gaps in preparedness.
• Beyond fatalities, the WHO said millions have faced physical harms such as dehydration, heart and respiratory strain, and wider mental health impacts from repeated heat events.
• The report signals a shift from treating heat waves as rare events to urgent policy work, with likely effects on health budgets, urban planning for cooling, and pace of national climate measures to cut future risk.