Fossil emissions fuel Europe’s extreme heat, experts warn

Just weeks after a severe heatwave that broke all-time May records, Europe is experiencing another major heatwave that is breaking June and annual records.
This is particularly remarkable given that June is not historically the hottest month in Western Europe.
Across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and southern England, temperatures are reaching 5–12°C above seasonal averages, driven by a persistent high-pressure system.
This pattern has transported hot air from North Africa into the region while also bringing clear skies and strong sunshine, which have further intensified the heat.
Heatwaves pose a serious threat to human health and have profound impacts on ecosystems.
During the summer of 2022, more than 60,000 people across Europe died as a result of extreme heat.
Even in the following summer, which was significantly cooler, over 47,000 heat-related deaths were recorded.
Last year, the first heatwave in Europe, also hitting at the end of June, cost an estimated 2,300 people their lives in only 12 European cities (Grantham Institute, 2025).
In addition to the direct impact on mortality, extreme heat affects ecosystems, infrastructure services and daily life.
The high temperatures are pushing cooling demand to its highest level in at least 45 years while significantly increasing wildfire risk, particularly in Spain and France.
Researchers from Sweden, Denmark, the United States, the Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom collaborated to assess to what extent human-induced climate change altered the likelihood and intensity of the extreme heat in Western Europe.
The analysis focuses on the 3 hottest days and nights over the most affected area, and additional analysis of the 19 capitals of the affected countries.

-World Weather Attribution