BERLIN, Jul 9 (Alliance News): Germany has recorded an estimated 5,120 heat-related deaths so far this year, with most fatalities occurring during the intense heatwave in late June, according to the country’s public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
According to Reuters, around 4,270 of the deaths were among people aged 75 and above, while women accounted for a larger share of the fatalities because they make up a higher proportion of the elderly population.
The RKI said the highest number of heat-related deaths occurred during the final week of June when average temperatures rose well above 20 degrees Celsius across much of the country.
The latest figures come as Europe experiences one of its hottest summers on record. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Western Europe recorded its warmest June ever, with an average temperature of 20.74 degrees Celsius.
Authorities have also reported more than 4,700 excess deaths linked to the June 20-28 heatwave in France, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands.
The RKI said Germany’s deadliest heatwave years over the past decade were 2018 and 2019, when an estimated 8,400 and 6,900 people died due to extreme heat.
The rising death toll has intensified political debate in Germany. Green Party leader Katharina Droege criticised Chancellor Friedrich Merz for not publicly addressing the heatwave and accused his government of weakening climate protection policies.
The Greens have also opposed proposed reductions in funding for Germany’s Climate and Transformation Fund, arguing that stronger investment is needed to tackle climate change and protect public health.
Germany aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2045. However, emissions have so far fallen by about 48 percent, and experts say additional measures are needed to meet the country’s climate targets.
