2024's hot weather death toll - Heat kills over 1300 in England
As the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reports,
over 1300 people died from excess heat in England through 2024. The number is higher than anyone expected because 2024 was cooler than previous years, with nothing more serious than yellow alerts in England.
The think tank
Green Alliance responded to the news, saying England's towns and cities remain 'unprepared for rising extreme temperatures'. They're calling on the government to do more to address the health issues caused by heatwaves. So what's going on, and what can businesses do to keep things cool?
Summer 2024 – Not so hot but unusually deadly
The UKHSA says there were 1311 heat-related deaths in England through four distinct episodes of heat in summer last year, 282 more than they'd usually expect based on the temperatures seen and the nation's usual 'temperature-mortality relationship'.
The UKHSA system identifies, categorises and shares information when extreme temperatures are likely to affect our health. A yellow alert is sent out when the temperature is OK for most of us but could impact the vulnerable. Amber alerts cover heatwaves in at least one region that could affect all of us, and also kick in when the mean Central England Temperature hits at least 20C. A rare red alert reveals a significant risk to life for everyone, human and otherwise.
Four chunks of hot weather in England totalling 14 days met the yellow warning definition through 2024, the fourth lowest since records began in 2016. But while it was relatively cool compared to the hottest years seen recently, three of the four heatwaves led to an unusually high number of deaths. The numbers include 467 heat-associated deaths in the second heatwave, between 18th and 20th July. As usual the elderly were at most risk, with 521 deaths per million 85 year-olds and older, followed by 111 per million people aged 75 to 84.
The Green Alliance says it's vital to focus on protecting people who are the worst affected by these extreme heat episodes, the old and vulnerable. And they say action has to be taken right now to “tackle the rising health risks of heatwaves.”
Friends of the Earth agrees, saying the numbers provide
“tragic evidence of the lethal impacts of climate breakdown”. They say the government’s climate plan, currently on the way, will act as a “litmus test” to show exactly how serious it is about preventing heat related deaths as well as fatalities caused by other extreme weather events like floods and high winds.
As for the future, the Green Alliance's Dr Agostinho Sousa says that these heatwaves are likely to become more intense, last longer and happen more often as the climate warms, which means a co-ordinated health response is essential.
What about heatwaves in Europe?
Obviously we're not the only ones. Climate change doesn't respect borders, politics or cultures. While we might be an island and Brexit might separate us, the weather doesn't care about that. We'll feel the effects as well. So what about other countries across Europe?
As revealed by the
UN-led European State of the Climate 2024 report, 2024 was the warmest on record for the entire continent. Europe also qualifies as the fastest-warming continent on earth, with more extreme weather and record temperatures making 2024 the warmest on record.
The scientists saw a 'striking' east-west contrast in Europe's climate, extremely dry and warm in the east but warm and wet in the west. And while they discovered Europe also has an unusually high risk of floods in future, it is also due to get hotter. A 1.5 degree rise in average global temperature compared to pre-industrial revolution levels could see the extra heat killing 30,000 more Europeans a year.
How to keep cool? You need evaporative cooling!
You need to keep people cool at work. Some machinery, products, drugs, animals, foods, production lines and ingredients also demand a cool setting. But you don't want to be faced with the high cost of buying and fitting traditional air conditioning – itself a climate killer - or the vast electricity bills it generates.
Luckily evaporative cooling comes to the rescue, an ancient and fiendishly efficient way to cool the air naturally using minimal power. Ask us about evaporative cooling for your premises. You'll be surprised how affordable and comparatively simple it is to fit, retro-fit, run and maintain, and you'll love the comfortable, cool feeling.








