European Heatwave Causes Over 12,000 Deaths and Massive Poultry Losses

Preliminary mortality data show that the June heatwave accounted for more than 12,000 excess deaths across Europe. The highest spikes were recorded in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, where the Met Office estimated around 2,200 heat‑related deaths. Health officials, including WHO Europe chief Hans Henri P. Kluge, warned that extreme heat should be treated as a public‑health emergency and that the toll is likely to rise as further data are compiled.

In France, the same heatwave killed up to three million broiler chickens, primarily in the Brittany region, according to Le Monde. Animal‑welfare groups called for a fundamental overhaul of breeding and transport practices, highlighting the vulnerability of livestock to extreme weather and the broader link between animal agriculture and climate change.