Climate change has dramatically worsened Europe’s summer heat waves, causing thousands of preventable deaths, according to a new study published on September 15. Researchers from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that rising global temperatures led to an additional 16,500 deaths across 854 European cities this summer.
The analysis concluded that climate change was responsible for 68% of the estimated 24,400 heat-related deaths, as it drove temperatures up by as much as 3.6°C (6.5°F). Scientists stressed that the true death toll is likely even higher, since the study covered only 30% of Europe’s population.
The findings echo an earlier report from July 9 that suggested climate change may have tripled the death toll during that month’s extreme heat wave. Experts note that even small increases in temperature can mean the difference between life and death for vulnerable groups, particularly older people and those with preexisting health conditions.
We often think of climate change as distant or abstract, but its consequences are already reshaping daily life across the globe—from heat waves claiming thousands of lives, to floods, droughts, and ecosystem collapse. Still unsure what climate change looks like in practice? Click through for a real lesson.