The World Health Organization in Europe announced, Friday, that the heat wave that hit Europe was responsible for 1,700 deaths in the Iberian Peninsula alone, and called for joint efforts to address climate change.
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In contact with AFP, the United Nations organization clarified that this figure is a preliminary estimate based on data from national authorities.
The organization added that this number “has already increased” and that it “will continue to increase in the coming days.”
According to the World Health Organization, the true number associated with the heat wave will not be known for weeks.
“Heat kills. Hundreds of thousands of people have died in recent decades from extreme temperatures during prolonged heat waves that often coincide with wildfires,” said Hans Kluge, WHO Director for Europe, in a statement.
“This year we have already seen more than 1,700 unnecessary deaths during the current heat wave in Spain and Portugal alone,” he added.
Hans Kluge also said exposure to extreme temperatures “often exacerbates pre-existing health conditions” and noted that infants, children and the elderly are particularly at risk.
He also highlighted the impact of bushfires, insisting that we are only halfway through the “scorching summer season.”
“Ultimately, this week’s events underscore once again the critical need for European action to effectively address climate change,” he added.
According to Hans Kluge, it is essential that governments show will and direction in implementing the Paris Agreements, noting that WHO members in Europe, 53 countries, including many Central Asian countries, “have already shown that they can work together on urgent threats.” Global Health” and that “it is time for us to do it again.”
