(July 11, 2025)

A searing heatwave that swept across parts of Europe in late June 2025 has been linked to nearly 2,300 excess deaths, according to a rapid attribution study conducted by scientists from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

The analysis shows that global warming raised temperatures during this heatwave by 2 to 4°C above what they would have been in a world without human influence. This increase, though seemingly modest, had deadly consequences when combined with ageing infrastructure, dense urban environments, and inadequate heat preparedness in many parts of Europe. Temperatures soared well beyond seasonal norms, straining public health systems and exposing gaps in cities’ ability to protect residents.

Researchers focused on data from June 23 to July 2 and 12 European cities in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, the UK, Greece, Croatia, and Hungary.