A heatwave that has gripped Europe for the past two weeks has been linked to at least 1,300 excess deaths, according to preliminary data from national health agencies. In response, the United Kingdom has convened an emergency meeting of European health ministers, calling for the World Health Organization to formally classify extreme heat as a public health emergency of international concern.
The UK Health Security Agency reported that the period from 8 to 15 August saw daily temperatures exceeding 38°C in parts of southern England, with similar extremes across France, Spain, Italy and Germany. Excess mortality, defined as deaths above the seasonal average, rose sharply during this window. Spain recorded 512 additional deaths, Italy 380, and France 210. The UK itself saw 98 excess deaths, though this number is expected to rise as data is reconciled.
Dr. Maria Neira, WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health, confirmed receipt of the UK's proposal. "The WHO has not previously designated heatwaves as a formal emergency, but the pattern is clear: as global mean temperature rises, these events become more frequent and severe. We are reviewing the evidence," she stated.
The physics is straightforward. A warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapour, roughly 7% more per degree Celsius. This amplifies the greenhouse effect and traps more heat near the surface. But it also means that when high-pressure systems stall over continents, they bake the land with ever-greater intensity. Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, warming at twice the global average rate since the 1980s. The current heatwave is driven by a persistent omega block: a high-pressure ridge flanked by two low-pressure systems, a configuration that is becoming more common as the jet stream weakens and meanders.
Urban infrastructure is not designed for these temperatures. Buildings in northern Europe lack air conditioning, and even where it exists, it places strain on electrical grids. The UK's National Grid issued a warning on 12 August as demand spikes coincided with reduced wind generation. Hospitals reported surges in admissions for heatstroke, dehydration, and cardiovascular stress. The elderly and those with preexisting conditions are most vulnerable.
The UK proposal to the WHO argues that heatwaves should be treated with the same urgency as infectious disease outbreaks. The WHO's International Health Regulations currently list six events that can constitute a public health emergency of international concern: influenza, smallpox, polio, SARS, novel influenza strains, and other events that could spread internationally. Heatwaves are not explicitly included but could fall under the catch-all "other events". A formal declaration would unlock coordinated funding, research, and adaptation measures.
Critics argue that such a move could dilute the WHO's mandate. Yet the numbers are stark. The 2003 European heatwave caused over 70,000 deaths. The 2022 heatwave caused 61,000. This year's event may be smaller in scale but it is occurring in a world that has not meaningfully reduced emissions. Carbon dioxide concentrations are at 425 parts per million, levels not seen for 3 million years.
Adaptation does not require new physics. It requires political will. Reflective roofs, urban tree cover, early warning systems and investment in resilient energy grids all reduce mortality. But without a global framework to coordinate these efforts, countries are left to react rather than prepare. The UK's call is a recognition that climate change is no longer a future problem: it is a present emergency, measured in lost lives.
As the heatwave begins to break over the Atlantic, the data will be analysed. The 1,300 figure is almost certainly an underestimate. But it is enough to force a conversation that has been deferred for too long. The WHO is now scheduled to debate the proposal at a special session in Geneva on 5 September.
The physical world does not negotiate. It only responds. And its response, at least for now, is heat.
