EurekAlert!, 25 August 2023

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more deadly

Heatwaves of the kind we are currently experiencing are particularly deadly for the elderly, the sick and the poor. The 2003 heatwave, which saw temperatures in Europe reach 47.5 degrees Celsius, was one of the worst natural disasters of recent decades, claiming an estimated 45,000 to 70,000 victims in the space of a few weeks.

Forests burned, crops withered in the fields and emergency wards in the cities were full to capacity. Globally, costs totalled around 13 billion U.S. dollars. Nevertheless, the public remains less aware of the risks of heatwaves than of other climate-​related extremes. This is a problem, as a study published in the journal Nature Communications points out. Heatwaves like the one we saw in 2003 could become the new norm in the coming years.

Nature Communications, 24 August 2023

Rapid increase in the risk of heat-related mortality

Heat-related mortality has been identified as one of the key climate extremes posing a risk to human health. Current research focuses largely on how heat mortality increases with mean global temperature rise, but it is unclear how much climate change will increase the frequency and severity of extreme summer seasons with high impact on human health.