European cities are at the center of the dangers associated with climate change, facing growing impacts on their inhabitants and infrastructure. The increase in temperatures and extreme weather events has placed significant pressure on urban life on the continent.
In particular, southern European cities have been severely affected by extreme heat. The data reveal that heat-related mortality in these regions has increased dramatically over recent decades.
The recorded increase in heat-related mortality was 160%, comparing two distinct periods: 1991-2000 and 2015-2024. This data highlights the growing and accelerating trend of climate change effects on public health among urban populations in southern Europe.
This statistic underscores the urgency of adaptation and mitigation measures in European cities, especially in the most vulnerable regions of the south of the continent, where the impact of heat on the population has intensified significantly.
