People use an umbrella to shelter from the sun near the Louvre Pyramid (Pyramide du Louvre) during a heatwave in Paris on June 26, 2019. (AFP)

A study published in the journal Nature Medicine reveals that more than 61,000 individuals lost their lives due to scorching summer temperatures across Europe last year. The findings emphasize the increasing danger posed by extreme heat events, which are becoming more frequent and severe as a result of climate change. Despite the significant impact of heatwaves on human lives and infrastructure, their true toll often remains unknown.

The last summer, which broke temperature records across the continent, witnessed an unprecedented number of heat-related deaths, underscoring the limited effectiveness of heat adaptation strategies implemented after the deadly 2003 heatwave.

Europe is experiencing temperature rises at a rate twice as fast as any other continent, heightening concerns about the region's vulnerability. Analyzing data from over 800 regions in 35 European countries, researchers observed a steep increase in the risk of heat-related fatalities with advancing age, with women over 80 being particularly susceptible. Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal recorded the highest mortality rates, attributed to prolonged extreme heat in Southwestern Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.

The study's authors urge European nations to reassess and strengthen their approaches to tracking and responding to heat-related injuries, recognizing the urgent need for improved preventive measures. The devastating heatwaves of the past year also aggravated drought conditions, jeopardizing crops and leading to a surge in agricultural prices within the European Union.

Additionally, the continent witnessed its second-worst wildfire season on record, with nearly 17,000 fires consuming over 4 million acres. As this year combines the effects of human-caused climate change and global warming with an El Niño event, new temperature records have already been established.

An early-season heatwave in April impacted Western Europe and Northwest Africa, a phenomenon made "almost impossible" without the influence of human-induced warming. The accumulating evidence calls for immediate action to address climate change and its detrimental impacts on human lives and ecosystems.