"Heatwaves: Unnoticed Fatalities and Their Climatic Links"
A new study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has provided early mortality estimates for a recent heatwave that swept across western Europe, suggesting that climate change significantly increased the death toll.
Published just a week after temperatures peaked, the study estimates that approximately 2,300 people may have died across a dozen major European cities during the heatwave in early July 2021. According to the researchers, 65% of these deaths can be attributed to global warming.
The study, which has not yet undergone peer review, finds that climate change made the heatwave between 1°C and 4°C hotter depending on location. This is the first study to link heatwave deaths to climate change so soon after the event in question.
Heat kills quietly, with prolonged exposure causing heat stroke, organ failure, and death. The sick, elderly, and those exercising or toiling outdoors are particularly vulnerable. Raquel Nunes from the University of Warwick believes this approach could have transformative potential for public understanding and policy prioritization of heatwaves.
Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, stated that there will likely be more heatwaves this summer. Tailoring this approach to local conditions could help cities better prepare when heatwaves loom, according to Abhiyant Tiwari, a health and climate expert.
Early mortality estimates are critical for understanding the immediate and longer-term impacts of extreme heat events. These estimates help prevent future heatwave-related deaths by informing and improving heat health action plans, early warning systems, and targeted interventions for vulnerable populations.
Regarding the impact of climate change on heatwaves, human-caused global warming has significantly increased both the frequency and intensity of heatwaves. Projections indicate that if high greenhouse gas emissions continue, future heatwaves will cause drastically more heat-related deaths due to combined effects of higher temperatures, population growth, and aging populations.
The true toll of the heatwave is likely much higher, according to the authors, due to undercounting of heat deaths. Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria have recently suffered fresh heatwaves and deadly wildfires, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by extreme heat events.
Otto states that publishing the study quickly is important to get the message out there before people stop thinking about heatwaves and keeping people safe. The study's findings serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for climate mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce future mortality from heatwaves.
Science and environmental-science collaboration, as seen in the study conducted by researchers from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, has shed light on the alarming relationship between climate change and health-and-wellness concerns, specifically heatwave-related mortality increases. This revelation underscores the pressing need for comprehensive mental-health support and policy focus towards addressing these pressing environmental issues.
