Overview

• The study shows anthropogenic warming increased late-June to early-July temperatures in major cities such as Paris, London and Madrid by between 2 °C and 4 °C.
• Researchers applied counterfactual climate modeling to compare observed heatwave intensity with a hypothetical scenario absent massive fossil fuel emissions.
• Preliminary findings attribute roughly 2 300 premature deaths to the heatwave between June 23 and July 2, with about 1 500 fatalities linked directly to the additional warming.
• Sustained daytime extremes and consecutive tropical nights amplified risks for vulnerable groups including the elderly, young children and outdoor workers.
• European health authorities caution that official mortality figures will take several weeks to finalize as governments evaluate adaptation and mitigation measures.