Climate change almost tripled the number of heat-related deaths in major European cities during an extreme heat wave from late June to early July, according to a new study.
Researchers from the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland analyzed conditions in 12 major European cities between June 23 and July 2, DPA reports.
They concluded that about 2,300 people died from heat-related causes during the 10-day period, with two-thirds of the deaths – about 1,500 – blamed on climate change.
Temperatures in many cities reached extreme levels during that period, often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
Without global warming, which the study says has raised daytime temperatures in cities by 1 to 4 degrees Celsius, about 800 people would have died from the heat, according to the group's calculations.
For the analysis, the team compared actual temperatures recorded in cities during the period with modeled values that could have been recorded without climate change.
Next, the expected number of heat-related deaths in both scenarios was calculated.
The recent heatwave has particularly affected vulnerable groups, such as people with existing health problems and the elderly.
According to the team, 88 percent of the deaths calculated occurred among people aged 65 and older./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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