Europe’s Fastest-Warming Cities Need Urgent Action

Barcelona, Rome, and Naples top a grim projection: cities expected to see the highest temperature-related death tolls by century’s end. Barcelona alone could face 246,082 deaths, followed by Rome with 147,738 and Naples with 147,248, according to modeling studies.

These projections assume inadequate climate action and adaptation—a scenario that Dr. Madeleine Thomson of Wellcome warns is becoming reality. “Europe is heating up, and we’re not prepared for the toll this will take on our health,” she says.

Europe faces a unique challenge as the fastest-warming continent, heating twice as fast as the global average. Last summer, 24,400 people died from heat-related causes across 854 cities—and 68% of those deaths were directly attributable to human-caused climate change, according to epidemiological analysis.

The economic consequences ripple throughout society. Farmers grapple with withering crops. Last year’s wine harvests were described as “dismal” and “horrible.” Olive trees were parched by heat and drought. Near Athens, fires burned through 11,000 hectares. In Italy, pavements literally melted.

Further north in Britain and Scandinavia, projections show potential decreases in temperature-related deaths—but these gains are massively outweighed by increases across southern and central Europe, resulting in 2.3 million additional deaths across the continent by 2099 without aggressive mitigation and adaptation.

Researchers emphasize that 70% of projected deaths could be avoided with rapid action on two fronts: drastically cutting greenhouse gas emissions to limit further warming, and implementing urban adaptation measures like green spaces, waterways, and heat action plans.

“If we don’t act now, the toll will rise,” Thomson warns. The question isn’t whether cities will face more extreme heat—it’s whether they’ll be ready when it arrives.