Over 5,000 heat-related deaths in Germany so far this year

Children play in a fountain in England as Europe sees temperatures continue to rise. Picture: David Davies/PA

Germany has recorded an estimated 5,120 heat-related deaths so far this year, most of them in late June when weekly average ​temperatures far exceeded 20C.

A majority of the deaths — around 4,270 — were among people aged 75 and older, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for public health in its weekly report. 

More women than men died, mainly because they make up a higher share of ​the very elderly.

The German data add to a grim picture across Europe. The EU's Copernicus ​ Climate Change Service said in a bulletin on Thursday that Western Europe had experienced its ⁠hottest June on record with an average of 20.74C.

National authorities have reported more than 4,700 ​excess deaths during the June 20-28 heatwave in France, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands.

According to ​the RKI, the highest numbers of heat-related deaths in Germany in the past decade were recorded in 2018 and 2019, with 8,400 and 6,900 deaths, respectively.

During the heatwave weekend of June 27-28, ​120 people died in the western German city of Cologne alone — four times as many as ​usual — said Katharina Droege, leader of the country's Greens party.

Droege accused Chancellor Friedrich ‌Merz ⁠of failing to comment on the heatwave, despite the rising death toll and ongoing efforts by emergency services. 

She also accused his government of watering down climate protection laws.

The Greens have sharply criticised the government's draft budget for 2027, in particular for drawing billions from climate ​protection in order to ​plug budget gaps.

⁠According to the budget draft, the cuts planned for the Climate and Transformation Fund have not yet been concretely quantified.

Germany set out plans in ​March to help it meet 2030 climate targets and reduce its dependence ​on volatile ⁠fossil fuel imports, making €8bn  available to fund measures such as expanding wind power capacity and boosting EV sales.

Europe's biggest economy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least ⁠65% from ​1990 levels by 2030 and to be climate-neutral by ​2045. So far, however, the reduction is only about 48%, and experts say existing policies are insufficient.

Reuters