Extreme heat is now considered the deadliest weather and climate-related hazard in Europe, causing more deaths than floods or storms.
Research shows there are high levels of heat-related deaths in European countries. For instance, in 2022 Italy (18,010 deaths), Spain (11,324) Germany (8,173), France (4,807), and the United Kingdom (3,469) were the countries with the highest numbers of summer heat-related deaths in Europe.