Over 20,000 Deaths in Western Europe This Year Due to Heatwave

Global Weather Feature "Caused by Climate Change" ... Spain Hits 44°C This Summer
Experts Say "Heatwaves Will Occur More Often Due to Global Warming"

On July 18th (local time), outside Buckingham Palace in London, England, which was hit by a heatwave, a police officer is giving water to a royal guard wearing a bearskin hat while on duty. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Park] A study has estimated that more than 20,000 people died this summer heatwave in Western Europe alone.

According to recent reports from the UK Guardian and others, the multinational climate research organization World Weather Attribution (WWA) analyzed official meteorological and mortality statistics from various countries and revealed that approximately 20,000 people lost their lives this summer in four countries: the UK, France, Germany, and Spain.

The researchers identified climate change as the main cause of this phenomenon. This summer, the UK experienced maximum temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, the southwestern region of France reached 42 degrees, and Seville and Cordoba in Spain saw temperatures rise to 44 degrees. The European Union (EU) Copernicus Climate Change Service stated that this summer's temperatures were the highest on record.

Experts pointed out a lack of awareness regarding the dangers of heatwaves. Dr. Friederike Otto, a senior researcher at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London, said, "The greatest threat of climate change is heatwaves," adding, "Thousands of people worldwide are dying from heatwaves, and many cases go unreported." She further noted, "Despite clear evidence already emerging, public awareness of the risks posed by heatwaves remains insufficient."

Yunis Ro, a climate change researcher at the University of Bristol in the UK, warned, "As global temperatures rise, heatwaves are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity, and in the future, hotter heatwaves will happen more often."