Among them are around 4,500 deaths in Germany, almost 4,000 in Spain and more than 3,200 in Great Britain, said WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge on Monday. The number is expected to increase further as more countries report their heat-related deaths.
The three months from June to August were the hottest in Europe since weather records began. The exceptionally high temperatures resulted in the most severe drought the continent has experienced since the Middle Ages.
“Climate change is already killing us, but strong action today can prevent more deaths,” the WHO said as the global community met for the 27th World Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. According to a UN report last week, Europe is the fastest warming continent. Over the past 30 years, it has recorded a temperature rise almost twice the global average.
Source: Nachrichten
