WHO warns European heatwaves are rehearsal for harsher future summers

The World Health Organization says the recent heatwave across Europe is only a rehearsal for what the continent can expect in the coming years. WHO Europe Regional Director Hans Kluge warned that “the next summers will be even more difficult” and that heatwaves are no longer isolated extremes but recurring crises.

Rescue services have reported record numbers of emergency calls: in France some cities saw a rise of up to 50 % in calls, London recorded its highest daily tally of life‑threatening calls, and Spain has estimated more than 300 heat‑related deaths in a few days. More than half of European nations still lack comprehensive heat‑action plans, Kluge noted. He cited examples such as Barcelona’s network of over 500 cooling sites and Paris’s register for vulnerable citizens and restrictions on alcohol sales as practical measures that could save lives.