The planet is experiencing an alarming rise in temperatures, and Europe is paying a high price in human lives. A comprehensive report by The Lancet Countdown, authored by 65 scientists, places Spain at the continental epicenter of global warming, warning that the window for significant action is rapidly closing.
The summer of 2024 was the hottest ever recorded in Europe, triggering a health crisis that caused 62,775 deaths. The most conservative projections suggest this figure could double by 2050, outweighing any benefits from reduced cold-related deaths. The most vulnerable populations, such as infants and those over 65, endured the equivalent of 2.3 billion days under extreme temperatures in 2024, more than double the figures from the 1990s.
Extreme heat is not only directly lethal but also hinders physical activity, crucial for preventing chronic diseases. In 2024, Europeans experienced a record 182 annual hours of moderate or high risk of heat-related illness during basic activities like walking. In Western Europe, hours of risk during moderate physical activity have increased by 78% compared to the 1990s.
Early warning systems are issuing increasingly frequent extreme-level alerts. Between 2015 and 2024, extreme alert days surged by 316% in Southern Europe, 450% in the West, 198% in the East, and 238% in the North, indicating a widespread climate emergency.
Spain finds itself in a particularly critical situation. The Canary Islands are among the European regions with the largest estimated decrease in working hours due to heat, alongside Cyprus and the Attica region in Greece. The economic impact is considerable: in Southern Europe, GDP per capita growth was 0.99% lower in 2021 due to positive temperature anomalies, nearly ten times greater than the 0.106% reduction recorded in 2001.
The report highlights that Spain is the focus of 11% of European scientific studies on climate and health, led by institutions such as ISGlobal and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Furthermore, olive pollen concentration is increasing in southern Spanish areas, advancing allergy seasons, and the activity season for Hyalomma ticks, disease vectors, is lengthening by 119% in Southern Europe.
Diseases previously considered alien to Europe are reappearing. The West Nile virus reported 1,112 cases in Europe in 2025, and the risk of visceral leishmaniasis and dengue continues to grow. The climatic suitability for malaria has increased by 266% in Southern Europe, despite being eradicated decades ago.
Drought is another severe problem, affecting 65% of European regions in the last decade. The Iberian Peninsula is one of the most affected areas, with a direct link between heatwaves, drought, and food insecurity. In 2023, one million more Europeans experienced moderate or severe food dissatisfaction as a direct consequence of the climate.
Despite advances in clean energy, which surpassed fossil fuel spending by 461% in 2024, the transition is insufficient. Transportation remains dominated by fossil fuels, and European governments allocated €365 billion in subsidies for them in 2023. Climate finance for health sector adaptation is minimal (0.07%), despite its crucial importance.
The most disturbing finding is the declining political and social commitment to the connection between climate and health. In the European Parliament, only 21 out of 4,477 speeches in 2024 mentioned this intersection. The public also fails to connect these crises, even though health is the primary citizen concern.
Climate litigation is emerging as an area where the health-climate connection is advancing, with increasing mentions of mental health as a legal argument, particularly in cases involving young people.
