Nearly 80 European health organisations have called on the European Union to introduce legally binding measures to protect people from increasingly severe heatwaves, warning that rising temperatures pose a growing threat to public health across the region.
In a joint statement, the organisations urged the EU to recognise extreme heatwaves as a serious cross-border public health threat and develop a comprehensive European heat protection plan. They also proposed an emergency fund to help hospitals, care homes, nurseries and schools adapt their facilities and services to the impacts of climate change.
The health groups also called for stronger standards to protect workers from heat stress and measures to maintain safe indoor temperatures in homes. They said coordinated action across the EU is needed to reduce health risks as extreme heat events become an increasing concern across Europe.
