The newly released European State of the Climate 2024 annual report (ESOTC), co-published by the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation program and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), confirms what public health experts have long warned about: the health costs of climate change in Europe are rising fast, and so is the human toll.
A new assessment from HEAL member the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine concluded that climate change could lead to over 2.3 million additional deaths from heat in 854 cities by end of this century. This heat toll will be far greater than reductions in deaths from cold in the winter. 70% of these deaths are preventable through swift, decisive climate action.
The Los Angeles wildfires serve as a powerful reminder of the health threats and impacts in times of accelerated climate change. With health-harming air pollution, the release of hazardous chemicals, and the destruction of ecosystems, these wildfires illustrate the growing health emergency from climate change.
The latest Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) report confirmed how extreme events in 2024 – intensified by a warming planet – are increasing in frequency and severity. And the first ever EU Climate Risk Assessment EUCRA (2024) highlighted the particular threat to Europeans’ health from heat and air pollution from wildfires, and called for greater policy action.
Like in the case of Los Angeles, numerous heatwaves, often record-breaking, and drier conditions which in turn increase the likelihood of wildfires will have significant impacts on human health here in Europe. Vulnerable groups – children, the elderly, those suffering from disease, and people facing socio-economic inequalities – face the greatest risks.
With Europe warming twice as fast as any other continent in the world, and a large share of an elderly, vulnerable population, the urgency to act is clear.
The health cost of inaction to accelerating climate change is already too high: Between 1980 and 2023, the overall economic cost for climate-related extreme events (floods, storms, heatwaves, droughts) amounted to an estimated EUR 738 billion in the EU. 6% of the most extreme events were responsible for 89% of the economic losses.
EU policymakers need to act now to protect health
In all mitigation and adaptation measures to 2040 which are currently being considered by EU decisionmakers (Proposal of a 90% CO2 reduction target for 2040; EU Climate Adaptation Plan), health needs to be at the core.
The EU needs ambitious, science-based measures to reduce the existing health burden, prevent further health impacts and strengthen people’s resilience. In 2023, EU health and environment ministers committed to step up action on climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss in the World Health Organization Budapest Ministerial Declaration. Together with the EU Commission and the EU-Parliament, ministers now need to walk the talk.
As a first step, this means including health (impacts and benefits) in all climate risk and impact assessments.
In addition to placing health at the center of EU climate action, HEAL’s prescription for healthy people on a healthy planet calls to:
1️⃣ Protect the health of the most vulnerable.
2️⃣ Invest in better health, not pollution.
3️⃣ Ramp up health measures for a non-toxic environment.
Join HEAL in advocating for science-based climate action which leads to a healthier Europe.
