Extreme heat could lead to 30,000 deaths a year in England and Wales by 2070s, say scientists

"A new study calculates that heat mortality could rise more than fiftyfold in 50 years due to climate heating, projecting over 30,000 heat-related deaths annually by the 2070s."

"In the worst-case scenario of 4.3C warming by the end of the century, heat-related deaths could exceed 34,000 by the 2070s, even with minimal adaptation."

Research predicts a significant increase in heat-related fatalities in England and Wales as climate change escalates. Current trends suggest that annual heat-related deaths could rise to 10,317 by the 2050s, and exceed 34,000 by the 2070s under a worst-case warming scenario of 4.3C. Even limiting warming to 1.6C while implementing high adaptation efforts could still result in a sixfold rise in annual deaths. The 2022 heat wave demonstrated a significant precedent, highlighting the urgency and severity of the climate crisis and the need for effective mitigation strategies.

Read at www.theguardian.com