As five European countries record nearly 10,000 heat-related deaths, WHO/Europe says preparedness must be built into every health system year-round
Copenhagen, 16 July 2026
The WHO European Region is the fastest-warming region on earth, with temperatures rising at around twice the global average rate. Extreme heat is a growing public health threat and health security challenge that is expected to hit harder each year. This summer's toll is still being counted but, already, data from just five countries shows nearly 10,000 excess deaths due to heat.
“Nearly 10,000 excess deaths, and the summer is not yet over,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “This is not a natural disaster and it’s repeating itself every year because too many governments are still treating heat as a weather event rather than a health emergency. The tools to prevent most of these deaths exist. The guidance is published. The evidence is there. What governments do next is a choice, and this summer shows what’s at stake.”
WHO/Europe has developed a range of tools and public health advice to help countries prepare for and respond to extreme heat, including updated Heat-Health Action Plan guidance published in June 2026. The guidance provides an eight-element framework for systematic, evidence-based heat-health action, and is accompanied by sector-specific action briefs and a ready-to-use public health message bank.
Building resilient health facilities
Heatwaves can cause an influx of healthcare admissions, putting pressure on facilities that may be ill-designed to cope with higher temperatures. Many city hospitals are affected by urban heat island effects, with built-up areas significantly warmer than surrounding areas. This can cause buildings to overheat and lead to failures in power supplies, cooling systems and IT services. Staff as well as patients are vulnerable to heat stress.
In Romania, Buhuși Hospital has opened a designated cool space for anyone suffering from heatstroke, made cool water available, trained medical staff to spot the early signs of heat exhaustion and applied for funding to install a high-efficiency cooling system for the whole building.
Across the region, WHO is helping hospitals prepare for heat through its Hospital Safety Index - a standardised assessment tool that evaluates the likelihood that a hospital will remain operational during emergencies. Countries including Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Poland and Ukraine have conducted assessments and training programmes with WHO support, helping authorities identify priority investments and strengthen preparedness.
What good preparedness looks like
Heat-Health Action Plans bring together measures across preparedness, risk communication and response. The UK Health Security Agency's Adverse Weather and Health Plan uses a colour-coded alert system, developed with the Met Office, that links each alert level to practical actions for health services, local authorities, community groups and the public. When parts of the United Kingdom reached unprecedented temperatures of up to 37.7°C in June 2026, red alerts were issued and the system activated automatically.
At the heart of WHO's updated guidance is a recognition that people are not passive recipients of warnings. With the right information and practical support, they can play an active role in protecting their own health and helping those around them.
A global problem requiring a global response
Increased heat in Europe cannot be addressed by European action alone. In July 2024, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on all countries to produce Heat-Health Action Plans and for urgent international cooperation on extreme heat, bringing together 10 UN entities including WHO. Climate health action and protection from environmental risk is a core priority of WHO's Second European Programme of Work 2026-2030.
“Our Region is the fastest-warming region globally,” said Dr Kluge. “In the past four years alone, heat has claimed more than 200,000 lives, while heat-related mortality has risen by 30% over the past 20 years. But heat deaths are not inevitable. We know how to protect people: warn communities early, make cities cooler, ensure access to water and shade, check on those most at risk and prepare health systems before temperatures peak. Together, we can save lives.”
ENDS
Resources:
- Preparing for a warming world: web story
- Heat-Health Action Plans guidance, second edition: https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289062930
- WHO European Region heatwave page: https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/heatwaves
- Climate crisis: extreme weather: https://www.who.int/europe/emergencies/situations/climate-crisis-extreme-weather
- Five European countries reporting excess heat deaths: Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain.
Media contacts:
Bhanu Bhatnagar, bbhatnagar@who.int
Sarah Tyler, tylers@who.int