A study estimated that summer heat caused about 50,000 deaths in Europe, with climate change contributing to most of them
CNN reported an estimate of more than 50,000 heat-related deaths across Europe’s cities this summer. An Imperial College London-led study found nearly two-thirds of deaths linked to high summer temperatures would not have occurred without climate change. Bloomberg Economics estimated Europe’s GDP hit at 2.5 times the average loss over the previous decade.
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An Imperial College London-led study estimated that about 50,000 deaths in Europe were linked to high temperatures this summer, with CNN reporting more than 50,000 estimated deaths across European cities. The study concluded that climate change was responsible for nearly two-thirds of deaths linked to high summer temperatures.
Researchers combined temperature records with earlier findings on heat-related mortality to calculate the toll. The study’s authors said the method has previously produced estimates consistent with official statistics, although many governments had not yet released full-season 2026 health figures.
Separately, a Bloomberg Economics study measured the summer’s hit to Europe’s GDP at 2.5 times the average loss over the previous decade. The Japan Times report’s headline put that impact at €17 billion.
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Both results report the study estimating roughly 50,000 heat-related deaths in Europe this summer. The Japan Times also reports that climate change contributed to almost two-thirds of the deaths, consistent with the proposed event.