Q&A: Europe’s May and June heatwave deaths – and how they were counted
This article examines the methodologies used by scientists and public health authorities to calculate excess deaths during European heatwaves. It discusses the evolution of mortality studies and the increasing focus on attributing specific deaths to human-caused climate change.
Why it matters
Understanding how heat-related mortality is measured is critical for policy-making and climate adaptation strategies.
Recent weeks have seen a flurry of reports from public health authorities and scientists that estimate the deaths caused by Europe’s record-breaking summer heatwaves .
The article focuses on scientific methodology and academic research regarding climate data.
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