The hot summer of 2022 in Europe led to more than 61,000 deaths due to heat-related causes, with a disproportionate impact on women, a comprehensive study published in Nature Medicine journal has found.
Between July 18 and 24 last year, a severe pan-European heatwave was proved particularly fatal with 11,637 deaths.
Analysing data from 823 regions across 35 European countries, covering a population of more than 543 million, the research team used temperature and mortality data from 2015 to 2022.
Most concerning was the period from mid-July to mid-August, which presented the highest temperature anomalies and resulted in 38,881 deaths, the study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and the French National Institute of Health (Inserm) found.
A breakdown by country showed Italy had the highest number of heat-related deaths with 18,010, followed by Spain with 11,324 and Germany with 8,173.
When examining temperature anomalies, France was the country with the highest temperature increase, at 2.43°C above the average for 1991-2020.
Temperatures in the UK exceeded 40°C for the first time on record in July 2022.
Switzerland, Italy, Hungary and Spain also experienced significant increases.
Disproportionate impact
A key finding of the study was the disproportionate impact of the heat on women.
Heat-related deaths were 63 per cent higher among women than men, with 35,406 premature deaths in women compared to 21,667 deaths in men.
The impact was especially notable in those over the age of 80, where the female mortality rate was 27 per cent higher than that of men.
However, the male mortality rate was 41 per cent higher in those under 65, and 13 per cent higher in those aged 65-79.
Reflecting on previous heatwaves, the researchers drew comparisons with the severe 2003 event, which resulted in over 70,000 excess deaths, the highest summer mortality ever recorded in Europe.
Joan Ballester Claramunt, first author of the study and researcher at ISGlobal, highlighted: “The summer of 2003 was an exceptionally rare phenomenon, even when taking into account the anthropogenic warming observed until then.
“This exceptional nature highlighted the lack of prevention plans and the fragility of health systems to cope with climate-related emergencies.”
However, Mr Ballester also pointed out that the 2022 event could not be considered an outlier.
He said: “In contrast, the temperatures recorded in the summer of 2022 cannot be considered exceptional, in the sense that they could have been predicted by following the temperature series of previous years, and that they show that warming has accelerated over the last decade.”
Highlighting the inadequacy of current adaptation strategies, Hicham Achebak, a researcher at Inserm and ISGlobal, emphasised: “The fact that more than 61,600 people in Europe died of heat stress in the summer of 2022, even though, unlike in 2003, many countries already had active prevention plans in place, suggests that the adaptation strategies currently available may still be insufficient.”
He added: “The acceleration of warming observed over the last ten years underlines the urgent need to reassess and substantially strengthen prevention plans.”
Dr Raquel Nunes, assistant professor in environmental change and public health at The University of Warwick, added: “The high number of heat-related deaths during the summer of 2022 in Europe highlights the urgent need for action to protect vulnerable populations from the impacts of heatwaves.”
Dr Chloe Brimicombe, a climate scientist and extreme heat researcher at the University of Graz, also voiced her concerns: “This study highlights a key heat risk across Europe but especially to women.
“It demonstrates that heat prevention strategies need to be re-evaluated, with gender and age especially in mind.”
The study projects more than 68,000 premature deaths each summer by 2030 and over 94,000 by 2040, if effective adaptation strategies are not put in place.
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The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
RESULT
Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)
Januzaj's club record
Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals
Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals
Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Omania, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
Winner: Brehaan, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Craving, Connor Beasley, Simon Crisford
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7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Company%20profile%20
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Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWafeq%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJanuary%202019%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadim%20Alameddine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Esoftware%20as%20a%20service%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERaed%20Ventures%20and%20Wamda%2C%20among%20others%3C%2Fp%3E%0A