WHO chief calls for urgent investment in climate-resilient health systems amid European heat wave

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday urged leaders to invest in climate-resilient health systems without delay as Europe grapples with an intensifying heat wave.

“We cannot afford further delay. Leaders must prioritise investment in climate-resilient health systems, while also accelerating #ClimateAction and mitigating the drivers of the climate crisis,” Ghebreyesus wrote on US social media company X.

He said high temperatures across the region are forcing school closures and posing risks to public health.

“The data are clear: temperatures across Europe are rising at roughly twice the global average rate, increasing the likelihood and severity of extreme heat in the future,” he added.

Several European countries, including France, Spain, Italy and the UK, have experienced a heat wave this week, with temperatures in some areas reaching 40C (104F) and causing disruptions to daily life, including school closures and transport delays, particularly on rail networks.

High temperatures have also caused power outages in some areas, particularly in western France, where 68,000 households were left without electricity Tuesday evening.