Over 200,000 people have died as a result of extreme temperatures in Europe over the past four years, while most of these deaths could have been prevented, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
According to the WHO, heat waves are no longer rare climatic events, but have become a recurring crisis that is causing suffering, claiming lives and straining health systems and infrastructure.
The organization points out that the number of victims is only part of the problem, as millions more people are facing physical and psychological consequences from the high temperatures.
The WHO estimates that individual measures, such as avoiding exposure to heat, keeping cool environments and regular hydration, help protect health, but are not enough to deal with such a widespread problem.
For this reason, the organization has introduced the second edition of the guide to heat and health action plans, calling on countries and cities to better prepare for heat waves.
According to the WHO, measures such as increasing green spaces in cities, creating refreshment centers, caring for the elderly during periods of high temperatures, protecting workers from exposure to the sun and strengthening the capacities of health institutions can save thousands of lives.
“Our goal is clear and ambitious: zero deaths related to extreme temperatures,” says the WHO message.
