Climate change is no longer just an environmental threat. It is becoming an increasingly serious danger to human health, with extreme temperatures linked to thousands of deaths, greater risks for vulnerable people and significant pressure on healthcare systems.
More than 30,000 additional deaths are estimated to have occurred in Europe during the summer of 2026, while the economic impact of extreme climate events is estimated to have reached billions of euros.
Scientists warn that Europe still lacks a sufficiently binding and adequately funded framework to protect public health from the effects of climate change.
Against this backdrop, 1,240 healthcare and care professionals, alongside other experts from 28 European countries, have signed an open letter to the European Parliament and European Commission. They are calling for specific policy decisions, binding legislation and adequate funding.
The initiative is coordinated by the European Regional Hub of the Planetary Health Alliance, in which the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII) at the Cyprus University of Technology participates as a Core Partner.
The letter is addressed to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, its members, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commissioners. It comes as discussions continue on a new European framework for climate resilience.
The signatories argue that Europe does not lack plans. What is needed, they say, is political commitment, specific obligations and the resources required to implement them.
Thousands of deaths and millions at risk
The figures cited in the letter highlight the scale of the threat.
According to preliminary estimates referenced by its authors, more than 30,000 additional deaths were recorded in Europe during the summer of 2026, with almost 16,000 occurring in the final week of June alone.
A press release from the Cyprus International Institute also cites preliminary figures attributed to the European Commission, which indicate that more than 35,000 heat-related deaths occurred in European countries for which data were available.
The two estimates come from different reports and do not represent identical statistical measurements.
Findings from the 2026 Lancet Countdown report for Europe are also a cause for concern. According to the report, as presented in the two documents, heat-related mortality increased in 99.6% of the 823 European regions monitored during 2015–2024, compared with 1991–2000.
The effects, however, are not distributed equally across the population.
Older people, those with chronic illnesses, outdoor workers and people living alone in homes that overheat are among those facing the greatest risks.
The letter stresses that the risk of dying from extreme heat is not determined solely by age or health. Income, occupation and housing conditions also play a role.
Calls for binding workplace temperature limits
One of the main demands concerns protecting workers from high temperatures.
The signatories argue that current EU legislation places general obligations on employers to protect workers but does not provide the specific binding framework they consider necessary to address heat-related risks.
They are calling for an EU directive on preventing occupational risks associated with high temperatures.
According to the letter, the proposed directive should establish binding temperature limits adapted to local conditions, automatic restrictions on work when conditions become dangerous, and common EU rules for assessing heat-related risks.
The signatories also want provisions to protect and compensate seasonal and migrant workers, as well as people employed through digital platforms.
Safe temperatures inside homes
The signatories say climate protection must extend beyond workplaces.
They place particular emphasis on the living conditions of vulnerable people, calling for safe indoor temperatures, especially for older people, those with chronic illnesses and people living in homes without adequate cooling systems.
Their proposals include expanding energy-efficiency improvements to existing buildings, promoting passive cooling and adapting electricity networks to meet increased summer demand.
The letter also highlights the social dimension of the problem, noting that people with limited financial resources often have fewer options for protecting themselves from extreme temperatures.
Hospitals must prepare for new threats
A significant part of the proposals concerns adapting healthcare systems to changing climate conditions.
The signatories are calling for a European action plan on heat and health, backed by a dedicated funding facility to strengthen the resilience of hospitals, care services, schools and childcare facilities.
They also propose developing comprehensive early warning systems in all EU member states, covering both heatwaves and smoke from wildfires.
Healthcare professionals are also making commitments of their own. They say they will work on plans to manage extreme temperatures, protect staff and patients, and adapt healthcare facilities.
Priority should be given to older people living alone, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, infants and people facing increased risks because of their working or living conditions.
Billions of euros in economic losses
Beyond the impact on human health, the letter also highlights the economic cost of extreme climate events.
According to an analysis cited by its authors, extreme heat and wildfires are estimated to have reduced the European Union’s gross domestic product by around 1% in 2026, equivalent to approximately €180 billion.
A separate analysis by Allianz Research estimates that productivity losses in 30 European countries reached €113 billion during the most intense five-day heatwave period of the summer.
The two estimates concern different economic impacts and should not be added together.
The letter’s authors nevertheless stress that these financial estimates do not capture the full cost, as they exclude deaths, illnesses, long-term health damage and the effects on quality of life.
Pressure on EU to introduce binding legislation
The initiative comes at a crucial time for the development of European climate resilience policy.
According to the Cyprus International Institute’s press release, the European Commission presented a proposal for a European Climate Resilience Act on October 27.
The signatories want the new framework to go beyond general guidelines and recommendations. They are calling for legally binding obligations, specific targets and measurable results to protect public health.
Their demands also include recognising extreme heat as a serious cross-border public health threat.
The open letter builds on the European Declaration on Climate and Health, endorsed by 129 organisations in August 2026.
The 1,240 signatures from 28 countries were collected by November 1, although the signing process remains open.
The European Secretariat of the Planetary Health Alliance sent the letter to Members of the European Parliament on November 4. Its formal submission to the European Parliament and European Commission is scheduled for December 10, ahead of the Environment Council meeting on December 11.
The central message from healthcare professionals is that Europe must move from announcements to action, with clear obligations and sufficient resources to make protecting people from the health effects of climate change a genuine EU priority.
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