Extreme weather events are fast becoming a reality. The European Environment Agency (EEA) has warned that heatwaves can kill 90,000 Europeans annually if nothing is done.
This warning comes as a report released on Monday by the World Health Organization said that so far this year at least 15,000 deaths can be attributed to the hot weather in Europe.
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Reportedly the three months of June through August were the hottest in Europe and as a result of the record-breaking heat, the continent experienced its worst drought since the Middle Ages.
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“Without adaptation measures, and under a scenario of 3 degrees Celsius global warming by 2100, 90,000 Europeans could die from extreme heat annually,” said EEA. The number falls to 30,000 if the warming is limited to 1.5 C.
“With 1.5 degrees C global warming, this is reduced to 30,000 deaths annually.”
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According to the agency, between 1980 and 2020, 129,000 Europeans perished from heat-related causes. The figure is based on insurance data.
This number, however, is expected to rise in the coming years, especially in the south of the continent, due to more frequent heatwaves connected to climate change, an ageing population, and growing urbanization, it said.
Beyond the threat of heat itself, the EEA warned that climate change could also increase Europe’s susceptibility to infectious diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
(With inputs from agencies)
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