More than 2,700 deaths in UK linked to May, June heatwaves.
The UK has experienced two record heatwaves this year, with temperatures reaching 35.1C in May and 37.7C in June.
More than 9,000 deaths among people aged 65 and over were recorded during recent European heatwaves, according to data from Euro MOMO, the European mortality monitoring system supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization.
Heatwaves across Europe have broken temperature records in several countries and contributed to thousands of excess deaths, according to estimates from Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain.
Scientists have emphasized the role of climate change in making heatwaves more frequent and severe. They estimated that maximum daytime temperatures were up to 4°C higher than they would have been without global warming. The World Weather Attribution group said the June heatwaves would have been "virtually impossible" without the influence of climate change.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it will publish its official estimate of heat-related deaths in the coming weeks, based on recent mortality data.
Lea Berrang Ford, head of the UKHSA Centre for Climate and Health Security, said the models used in the study highlight the scale of the risks associated with extreme heat and the growing threat climate change poses to public health.
The study recommended that the government introduce maximum workplace temperature limits and invest in air conditioning systems for public buildings, including hospitals and schools, to prepare for more frequent extreme weather events.
A report published in May estimated that 92% of homes in the United Kingdom could become dangerously hot by 2050. The UK and much of Europe experienced two unprecedented heatwaves in May and June, with monthly temperature records reaching 35°C.
They were extreme heatwaves for the UK and for all parts of western Europe, and they were particularly exceptional because of their timing and how early in the year they occurred, Mark Mc Carthy, science manager at the Met Office's climate attribution team, said.