Europe in Turmoil from Heatwaves: Over 60,000 Deaths Last Year, 70 Trillion Won in Economic Losses This Year

Spanish Institute Surveys Mortality in 32 European Countries
Italy, with a Large Elderly Population, Recorded 19,000 Deaths Last Year
Abnormal Weather This Summer Caused Losses of 16 Trillion Won per Country

It has been revealed that 62,775 people died in Europe due to last summer's heat. Yonhap News reported on the 22nd (local time), citing Reuters and AFP, that "the Barcelona-based Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) published the results of a mortality survey conducted from June 1 to September 30 last year in 32 European countries with a total population of 539 million in the medical journal 'Nature Medicine.'"

Last June, tourists visiting the Augustus Forum in Italy were walking while using parasols to escape the heat. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The number of deaths estimated to be related to heat during this period was lower than in 2022 (67,873), but increased by 23% compared to 2023 (50,798). Two-thirds of the deaths occurred in Southern Europe. Italy, which has a high proportion of elderly people and experienced frequent heatwaves, recorded the highest number of deaths at approximately 19,000.

According to Copernicus, the European Union's climate monitoring agency, last summer was the hottest ever recorded in Europe. Heat can contribute to fatal health problems such as heatstroke and dehydration, as well as heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory diseases. However, since heat is rarely recorded as a direct cause of death, it is difficult to accurately determine the number of deaths attributable to heat.

This summer was not included in the survey, but there are signs of similar damage. The Italian Society of Emergency Medicine (SIMEU) reported that "when this year's heat peaked, emergency room visits increased by up to 20% in some regions." Alessandro Riccardi, president of SIMEU, told the media, "Patients who were frail or had underlying conditions required more hospital treatment, and the pressure on hospital services intensified, similar to during a flu epidemic."

Gerardo Sanchez of the European Environment Agency (EEA) emphasized, "In the long term, Europe needs to improve its cooling-related infrastructure," adding, "Protection from heat should be treated like an essential medicine for those who need it most."

Previously, a study found that abnormal weather this summer caused damages in Europe amounting to 43 billion euros (approximately 70 trillion won). According to the French daily Liberation, on the 15th (local time), researchers from the University of Mannheim in Germany and the European Central Bank (ECB) used data on this summer's heatwaves, droughts, and floods, as well as economic damage estimation models for extreme weather, to arrive at this result. The estimate includes both direct damages from climate impacts such as destruction of roads, buildings, and crops, and indirect damages such as production disruptions, human casualties, and adaptation costs.

The study found that Spain, France, and Italy were the most severely affected countries. The researchers estimated that each country suffered losses exceeding 10 billion euros (approximately 16 trillion won) this year, and warned that these losses could exceed 30 billion euros (approximately 48 trillion won) in the medium term. For example, if drought increases the scarcity of certain products, it could trigger inflation in the medium to long term. Dr. Serish Usman of the University of Mannheim explained, "The true cost of extreme weather events goes far beyond their immediate effects."