Record-breaking heat waves hit Europe, worsening poverty impact
The heat waves in Europe, which are intensifying, becoming more frequent, and lasting longer each year, have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in recent years.
Researchers have identified that the mortality rate is disproportionately high among those living in poverty, according to recent studies from Spain reported by The Guardian.
“It’s a matter of common sense,” remarked Julio Díaz Jiménez, a professor at the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid. “Experiencing a heat wave is vastly different when you live with three other people without air conditioning compared to residing in a villa with a pool and air conditioning.”
Díaz Jiménez is part of a research team that published a study in 2020 examining how extreme heat affected 17 districts in Madrid. The study found that heat waves impacted mortality rates in only three districts—those where household incomes were below average.
Lower-income individuals often lack access to quality housing, with many residing in overcrowded and poorly ventilated conditions. Even when air conditioning is available, its use is frequently unaffordable for these individuals. Their access to medical care is limited, and many work in sectors such as agriculture and construction, where they are regularly exposed to high temperatures.
Earlier this year, the NGO Save the Children warned that one in three children in Spain was unable to cool off at home. The organisation cautioned that this situation could have a “very harmful” impact on the mental and physical health of over two million children.
Europe is warming at a significantly faster rate than other parts of the world. A study published this year in Nature Medicine reveals that in 2023—the hottest year on record—heat waves and extensive vegetation fires claimed nearly 50,000 lives. It is anticipated that 2024 will soon be declared the hottest year ever documented.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
