EEA report ‘Climate change impacts on health in Europe: heat and infectious diseases’

Unprecedented heatwaves — as seen earlier this year across Europe — are the greatest direct climate-related health threat to Europe’s population.  Heatwaves already account for numerous deaths and illnesses. This burden is set to increase without more climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. Heat-health action plans, urban greening, better building design and adjusting working times can contribute to better protect the most vulnerable groups in society.

Climate-sensitive infectious diseases — another emerging threat — are projected to further spread northwards and cause a higher disease burden in Europe. 

While the need to address the impacts of climate change on human health is increasingly recognised, the time is now to move from planning to action and to improve awareness among public health and healthcare practitioners to make Europe’s population more resilient, and particularly those people who are more vulnerable due to socio-economic status or age.