LONDON 

A new study has warned that deaths from extreme heat in Europe are projected to rise sharply in the coming decades, potentially adding 55,000 deaths annually by the year 2100 if significant action to combat climate change is not taken.

This increase would mark a 13.5% rise in temperature-related fatalities, a stark contrast to a predicted slowdown in cold-related deaths, showed the study published in The Lancet Public Health journal on Thursday.

Currently, temperature extremes in Europe cause approximately 407,500 deaths annually, with cold weather being the primary culprit.

Between 1991 and 2020, an average of 364,000 deaths per year were attributed to cold, while heat accounted for 44,000 deaths.

Cold-related fatalities have historically been higher in eastern Europe, while southern Europe experiences more deaths from extreme heat.

However, this trend is expected to reverse as the planet continues to warm.

The study highlighted that southern Europe and regions with aging populations will be the most vulnerable to the increasing frequency of deadly heat waves.