Extreme warmth kills at least 175,000 people annually in the European region, where temperatures are continuing to rise rapidly, the World Health Organization warned.
Europe is among the fastest-warming regions in the world, with temperatures rising at around twice the rate of the global average. And people in the WHO European region are “paying the ultimate price” for the severe heat, WHO’s Europe director warned Thursday.
“Heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death in the Region,” Hans Henri P. Kluge wrote in a statement. “Temperature extremes exacerbate chronic conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebro-vascular diseases, mental health, and diabetes-related conditions.”
The WHO’s European region includes 53 countries in Europe and the Caucasus, along with Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
