In an interview with “The Guardian” dated July 2, 2025, Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, comments against the backdrop of the increasing frequency of heatwaves in Europe. On the occasion of the heatwave in the summer of 2025, she states: “They are absolutely terrible temperatures that have a very serious impact on ecosystems, on the economy and on health.” This statement turns out to be mostly true.
Ribera is not referring to individual hot days, but to heatwaves as a recurring phenomenon associated with climate change. Although she does not cite a specific study or data source in the interview to support her statement, she refers to concrete temperature figures and extreme events that are publicly documented. For the fact-check, the focus is therefore not on the short-term burden caused by heat, but on the question of whether increasingly frequent extreme heat events in Europe already have demonstrable impacts on health.
Reports on Heatwaves in Europe
Long-term climatological analyses show that heatwaves in Europe have been occurring more frequently for several decades. A heatwave is generally defined as a period of at least five consecutive days with temperatures above 30°C. An evaluation of European temperature data for the period 1981–2010 demonstrates a significant increase in heatwaves with daily maximum temperatures above 30°C, particularly in the Mediterranean region and Southeastern Europe. However, a clear upward trend is also evident in temperate latitudes, such as in France and Germany. In some regions, the number of heatwave days per year increased markedly from decade to decade. Heatwaves are therefore not isolated extreme events, but an intensifying climatic pattern in Europe.
This development is also confirmed by the European Environment Agency. In the “European Climate Risk Assessment” published in January 2024, it concludes that Europe is warming faster than other continents. At the same time, precipitation levels in Southern Europe are declining significantly, further increasing the risk of severe droughts.
Explanations for this development are provided, among others, by climate researcher Peter Hoffmann from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. In an interview with stern.de, he explains that this is partly due to the high proportion of land areas, altered weather patterns, and the increasing frequency of stable high-pressure systems. These weather patterns bring warm air to Europe, which was originally typical mainly for spring and summer. However, they are now occurring as early as February and lasting more frequently and for longer periods. The additional warming of the North Atlantic reinforces these effects and leads to such weather patterns causing higher temperatures. As a result, heatwaves in Europe are becoming more frequent and more intense.
A direct link between climate change and the intensification of the heatwave examined is also demonstrated by a rapid study conducted by the Grantham Institute, which analyzed a ten-day heatwave in twelve major European cities from June 23 to July 2, 2025. First, the researchers analyzed measured temperature data and used climate models to estimate what temperatures would have been in a Europe without human-induced climate change. The results showed that climate change intensified the heatwave by one to four degrees Celsius and that such early and intense heat events no longer represent a rare extreme in today’s climate.
Climate Change and Health
The scientists then examined the statistical relationship between temperature and overall mortality, regardless of the reported cause of death. On this basis, they estimated the number of heat-related deaths during the heatwave in the real climate and compared this with a hypothetical scenario without global warming. For the period studied, the analysis calculated around 2,300 additional heat-related deaths, of which more than 1,500 were attributed to human-induced climate change. Heat-related mortality was therefore about three times higher compared to a climate without global warming, with older population groups being particularly affected.
It should be noted that the study refers only to a few European cities and a short period and does not directly record all deaths. Since heat is rarely reported as the cause of death, it is likely that the actual number of victims may be higher. The findings make clear that heat-related health consequences already constitute a relevant societal problem today and require political and institutional responses at the European level.
The World Health Organization (2023) report classifies climate change as a fundamental threat to human health that requires urgent action. In 2022 and 2023 alone, extreme heat events claimed more than 100,000 lives in Europe. With a projected global temperature increase of up to 3°C in this century, it is to be expected that these burdens will intensify further. Climate change acts as a “threat multiplier,” as climatic extreme events such as heat, droughts, and wildfires exacerbate existing risks and place additional pressure on health systems. Vulnerable population groups and regions with limited adaptive capacity are particularly affected. Although the link between climate change and health is clearly established, it remains difficult to quantify the exact extent of many climate-related health risks. However, advances in research increasingly make it possible to attribute rising morbidity and mortality rates directly to human-induced global warming.
It affects the spectrum of diseases directly through various environmental influences such as heat, air pollution, and the altered spread of pathogens. Extreme heat increases the risk of heat-related illnesses and exacerbates existing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Deteriorating air quality particularly promotes respiratory illnesses, while water scarcity and flooding facilitate the spread of water-borne infections.
Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns also promote the spread of infectious diseases transmitted through water, food, or by animals and insects. At the same time, crop failures and disrupted food systems impair food security and increase the risk of malnutrition and food-borne diseases. In addition to these physical illnesses, climate-related extreme events also lead to significant psychological stress, for example in the form of anxiety disorders, stress, and trauma-related consequences.
During heatwaves, people are exposed to increased thermal stress that heavily strains the body’s regulatory mechanisms. If heat dissipation is insufficient, overheating, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke may occur. Particularly critical is the fluid loss intensified by high temperatures: dehydration increases blood viscosity and raises the risk of thrombosis and cardiovascular complications. In older people and individuals with pre-existing conditions, thermoregulation is often impaired, which can exacerbate existing cardiovascular, kidney, and respiratory diseases. Studies (as reported in this assessment) show that heat-related mortality is therefore rarely attributable to heatstroke alone, but is predominantly caused by the interaction of dehydration, circulatory failure, and the worsening of chronic diseases.
Impact on the Health System
These health burdens are now also being addressed at the European level. On June 11, 2025, WHO/Europe launched the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH). The aim of the Commission is to serve as an interface between climate, climate-related health problems, and the resulting challenges for European health systems. In its publication, WHO emphasizes the importance and urgency of this initiative in light of the serious and increasing threat to human health posed by climate change. It points out, among other things, that the climate crisis is already disproportionately affecting the health of particularly vulnerable population groups. Increasing heatwaves, floods, and new disease patterns are placing a strain on both physical and mental health as well as on already overstretched European health systems, while at the same time continued dependence on fossil fuels and air pollution continues to cause significant health damage.
Increasingly frequent and more intense heatwaves place a burden not only on affected individuals, but also on health systems as a whole. In the context of establishing the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH), the World Health Organization points out that heat, floods, and new disease patterns are increasing in the European Region. These climate-related burdens affect health systems and health budgets that are already under significant strain and further exacerbate existing challenges. At the same time, WHO notes that the health sector itself is responsible for around five percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and thus plays a dual role: it is both affected by the health consequences of climate change and part of the structural framework that is crucial for effective adaptation and emission reduction. Without targeted prevention and adaptation measures, there is therefore a risk that heat-related health consequences may no longer be adequately managed in the future.
Conclusion
Teresa Ribera’s statement that extreme temperatures have serious impacts on health is overall confirmed by the evaluated scientific studies and reports. Numerous analyses show that heatwaves in Europe are becoming more frequent and more intense as a result of human-induced climate change and are already associated with increased mortality and a wide range of health burdens. Older people and other vulnerable population groups are particularly affected, as heat can exacerbate existing cardiovascular, respiratory, and kidney diseases.
Although Ribera does not cite specific studies in the interview, her assessment is consistent with the findings of independent research and with evaluations by international health organizations such as the World Health Organization. The statement can therefore be classified as “mostly true.” The health consequences of extreme heat in connection with climate change are well documented. It should be noted, however, that individual health effects, particularly specific deaths or disease progressions, cannot in every case be clearly attributed to climate change, as multiple risk factors often interact. In light of the already demonstrable heat-related health consequences, the statement has high societal relevance, as without effective prevention and adaptation measures, a further increase in health burdens can be expected.
RESEARCH | ARTICLE © Yasemin Karakan, Stuttgart Media University, Germany
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