Heat-related deaths in Europe’s urban areas exceeded 50,000 in the summer of 2026, as repeated waves of record-breaking temperatures swept across the continent from late May through August. 

More than 32,000 of those deaths were attributable to human-caused global warming, driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, according to studies published in Nature Health.

Urban areas of Europe’s major economies, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom, recorded the highest estimated death tolls. The work by researchers at the Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine warns that Europe’s cities are struggling to keep pace with the growing health risks posed by extreme heat.

“This summer has been another dramatic reminder that climate change is everybody’s problem,” said co-author Pierre Masselot, a health researcher at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

The research findings point to the growing reach of heat-related mortality beyond the oldest and most vulnerable populations and underscore the need for governments to improve adaptation efforts, including expanding health care for populations most vulnerable to extreme heat, he said.

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