Content Writer: Title: Climate Change’s Hidden Health Crisis: Epidemics and Food Insecurity Threatening Europeans

The climate crisis is increasingly recognized as a direct threat to human health across Europe, with rising temperatures, food insecurity, and the spread of infectious diseases contributing to a growing public health emergency, according to recent assessments by global health authorities.

The World Health Organization has warned that the climate crisis is not only an environmental emergency but a serious and escalating threat to human health, already claiming lives through heat-related illness, the spread of infectious diseases, and worsening food insecurity, particularly among the most vulnerable populations.

In Europe, which is warming faster than any other WHO region, nearly half of humanity lives in areas highly susceptible to climate change, and a third of the world’s heat-related deaths occur in the European Region. In 2022 and 2023 combined, more than 100,000 people across 35 countries in the European Region died due to heat exposure.

Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, storms, floods, and droughts have accounted for between 85,000 and 145,000 human fatalities across Europe over the past 40 years, with over 85% of those deaths attributed to heatwaves. These events are becoming more intense, longer, and more frequent, posing significant risks to both health and infrastructure.

The health risks associated with rising temperatures are especially severe for older adults. Data from the 2024 Lancet Countdown report shows that deaths among people over 65 due to heat exposure increased by 167% compared to the 1990s. In 2023, which was the hottest year ever recorded globally, climate change added an average of 50 extra days of dangerously high temperatures for each person, affecting labor productivity, food systems, and increasing strain on healthcare services.

Food insecurity, driven by climate-related disruptions to agriculture and food distribution, is emerging as a critical factor in declining health outcomes. Changing weather patterns, prolonged droughts, and extreme rainfall are reducing crop yields and disrupting food supply chains, particularly affecting low-income and marginalized communities. This contributes to malnutrition and increases susceptibility to illness, compounding the health burden of climate change.

The spread of infectious diseases is also being influenced by shifting climatic conditions. Warmer temperatures and changing ecosystems are enabling disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks to expand into new geographic areas, increasing the risk of illnesses like dengue, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus in parts of Europe where they were previously uncommon.

In response to these growing threats, the WHO/Europe launched the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH) in June 2025. Chaired by former Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the commission brings together 11 leading experts from across the region to develop actionable recommendations for reducing emissions, investing in health-protecting adaptation strategies, reducing inequality, and building resilience against climate-related health risks.

The commission emphasizes that adaptation measures — such as constructing heat-resistant infrastructure, expanding urban green spaces, and implementing nature-based solutions like floodplains — are essential to reducing vulnerability and protecting public health. Closing the climate protection gap by increasing insurance coverage for climate-related disasters is also seen as a key step in enhancing societal resilience and recovery capacity.

Experts stress that without urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen health system preparedness, the health impacts of climate change will continue to worsen, disproportionately affecting those least able to adapt. The interplay between rising temperatures, air pollution, and changing ecosystems is already affecting the well-being of communities across Europe and beyond.

As climate change continues to reshape environmental and social determinants of health, addressing its consequences requires coordinated efforts across public health, urban planning, agriculture, and energy policy to safeguard populations from preventable harm.