Europe’s Killer Heat This Summer Claims 50,000 Lives; Climate Change Blamed for Two-Thirds

A study estimates that heat killed 50,391 people in 854 European cities during June, July and August 2026. Researchers attribute 32,619 deaths to warming caused by fossil fuel emissions, roughly two-thirds of the total. The analysis modeled heat-related mortality across cities representing about 40% of Europe’s population, so it does not capture the entire continent. Researchers say the estimates are likely conservative because they exclude May’s heatwave. The death toll is far above the previous summer record of 29,480 in 2022.