How many people DIED in Europe thanks to climate change this summer

"'It may not sound like much, but our study shows that shifts in summer heat of just a few degrees can be the difference between life and death for thousands of people. 'It is another reminder that climate change isn't an issue we can just deal with at some point in the future. The longer it takes governments to shift away from fossil fuels and cut emissions, the deadlier summer heat will become - even with efforts to become more resilient to extreme temperatures.'"

"The analysis showed that across 854 European cities, climate change was responsible for 68 per cent of the 24,400 estimated heat deaths this summer. That means global warming caused an extra 16,500 deaths compared to a summer that hadn't been heated by human activities, they warned. This summer, Europe experienced several months of intense temperatures. Heat deaths have been reported across the continent, including a 51-year-old street cleaner in Barcelona and a 47-year-old construction worker in San Lazzaro di Savena in Italy."

"The countries hit the hardest by a single heatwave were Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus from July 21-27 when an estimated 950 heat deaths occurred in temperatures up to 6°C above average. The capital cities with the highest death rates per capita were Rome, Athens, and Bucharest, reflecting their exposure to some of the most extreme heat in Europe."

This summer featured the UK's hottest conditions on record, with four separate heatwaves and long hours of sunshine. Global warming contributed to more than 1,000 heat-related deaths in the UK. Across 854 European cities, climate change accounted for 68% of an estimated 24,400 heat deaths, adding about 16,500 deaths compared with an unheated summer. Several months of intense temperatures produced fatalities across the continent, including individual deaths in Barcelona and Italy. A late-July heatwave across Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus was linked to about 950 deaths at up to 6°C above average. Delayed emissions reductions will increase future summer heat mortality.

Read at Mail Online