Researchers at the Spanish research center produced the report using mortality and temperature records from 35 European countries. They estimated that 47,690 people in Europe died from heat-related causes. Of these, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain had the highest rates of heat-related deaths.

The death toll in 2023 would be 80% higher without measures put in place over the past 20 years to help people adapt to rising temperatures, such as early warning systems and improved health care, the report said.

"The results show that societies have adapted to high temperatures over the current century, resulting in significant reductions in heat vulnerability and deaths in recent summers, especially among the elderly," said Elisa Gallo, a researcher at ISGlobal and lead author of the study.

Research shows that climate change is causing dangerous heatwaves across the Northern Hemisphere and will continue to cause dangerous weather for decades to come.

Last year was the world's hottest year on record. As climate change continues to drive up temperatures, Europeans living on the world's fastest-warming continent face increasing health risks from rising temperatures.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)