Europe is fastest warming region, with 1.75 lakh people dying from heat-related causes every year: WHO

New Delhi: A staggering 175,000 people die from heat-related causes every year in Europe and that figure is set to rise as the global mean temperature exceeds the 1.5° Celsius threshold.

The World Health Organization (WHO), said on Friday that European countries are seeing temperatures rise at around twice the global average.

WHO Regional Director Dr. Hans Kluge said, “Heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death in the Region. Temperature extremes exacerbate chronic conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebro-vascular diseases, mental health, and diabetes-related conditions”

“Extreme heat is a problem, particularly for elderly people, especially those living alone. It can also place an additional burden on pregnant women” Dr Kulge added.

Across Europe, more than 50 countries “are paying the ultimate price”, said WHO Regional Director Dr. Hans Kluge.

Dr. Kluge said that the three warmest years on record in Europe have all happened since 2020 and that the 10 hottest years have all been charted since 2007.

The WHO insisted that more governments need to take action to mitigate heat shocks on vulnerable people.

More than 20 countries in the WHO Europe region have such plans in place which is “not enough to protect all communities”, the UN health agency warned.

As per the United Nation data, approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths occurred each year between 2000 and 2019, with the European Region accounting for 36 per cent or on average more than 175,000 lives every year.

On 22 July 2024, the daily global average temperature reached a new record high of 17.16°C, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Multiple reports suggest that the world is significantly off track to limit global warming to 1.5° Celsius. To achieve this goal, countries together need to cut down the emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane by 43% by 2030.