Economic inequality is contributing to more than 100,000 additional deaths every year across Europe due to extreme heat and cold, according to a new study that highlights the growing connection between climate change and social disparity. Researchers found that poorer communities and regions with greater deprivation are significantly more vulnerable to temperature-related mortality, even in some of the world’s wealthiest nations.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), examined data from 654 regions across Europe between 2000 and 2019. It analysed over 160 million deaths and assessed how socioeconomic conditions such as poverty, housing quality, access to heating, and income inequality affected mortality linked to extreme temperatures.
Researchers concluded that if inequality levels across Europe were reduced to those seen in the continent’s most equal regions, temperature-related deaths could fall by nearly 30%. The findings suggest that around 109,000 lives could potentially be saved every year through improved social and economic conditions alone.
The report found that regions suffering from severe material and social deprivation recorded far higher death rates during periods of extreme heat and cold. Poorly insulated homes, lack of access to cooling systems, energy poverty, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure were identified as key factors worsening the impact of temperature extremes on vulnerable populations.
While wealthier regions generally experienced fewer cold-related deaths due to better infrastructure and healthcare systems, researchers noted that affluent urban areas also showed elevated heat-related mortality because of the “urban heat island” effect. Dense cities with limited green spaces tend to trap heat, making extreme temperatures more dangerous, especially for elderly residents and those with pre-existing illnesses.
Climate experts warned that the actual number of deaths linked to inequality and temperature extremes may be even higher than current estimates. Rising fuel costs and growing energy insecurity after the Covid-19 pandemic have left many households unable to adequately heat or cool their homes, increasing vulnerability across Europe.
The findings come amid increasing concern over Europe’s exposure to climate-related health crises. Several recent reports have shown that heat-related deaths are rising steadily across the continent as global temperatures continue to increase. A Lancet Countdown report released earlier this year estimated that around 62,000 people died from heat-related causes in Europe in 2024 alone.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is intensifying heatwaves and making temperature extremes more frequent and severe. Separate studies have projected that millions more Europeans could die from extreme temperatures by the end of the century if greenhouse gas emissions are not rapidly reduced.
Researchers behind the latest study said governments must treat inequality as a central climate and public health issue rather than merely an economic concern. They called for targeted support for vulnerable populations, improved housing standards, access to affordable energy, urban cooling measures, and long-term structural reforms aimed at reducing poverty and social exclusion.
