The WHO reports a 30% increase in heat-related mortality in the past 20 years with increasing heat-related deaths in almost all countries of the European Region where monitoring is in place. The development of heat–health action plans is a crucial adaptation process to make communities more resilient to heatwaves since adverse health effects of hot weather are largely preventable through good public health practices. More than 20 countries in the Region have such plans in place. WHO/Europe, through our European Centre for Environment and Health in Bonn, Germany, is currently developing an updated, second edition of its heat–health action plan guidance to support national and local governments to establish their own plans or update existing ones.

According to the UN Secretary-General’s call, there are 4 critical areas of action in response to heat, i.e., caring for the vulnerable, protecting workers, boosting the resilience of economies and societies, and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. At the same time, WHO/Europe’s annual #KeepCool campaign provides simple guidance to prevent adverse heat impacts.