France records around 1,000 additional deaths amid extreme heat wave leading to European records
France reported at least 1,000 excess deaths during a record-breaking heat wave that has swept across Europe. Scientists attribute the extreme temperatures and humidity to climate change, noting that such events are significantly more likely today than in previous decades.
Why it matters
The surge in mortality rates underscores the severe public health risks posed by climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Europe.
France saw around 1,000 additional deaths last week at the height of its record-smashing heat wave, the country’s public health agency said on Sunday (June 28, 2026), as Europeans elsewhere were suffering through yet another day of new temperature highs that sparked wildfires in Germany and had Berlin police using water cannons to cool down the crowds.
The report relies on data from public health agencies and scientific attribution studies, maintaining an objective tone regarding the climate crisis.
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