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At least 14,000 people have died in Germany this summer due to extreme heat, surpassing the country’s previous record from before 2018, according to government data released Thursday.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany’s public health research agency, said more than half of the estimated deaths — around 9,600 — occurred during just one week in late June, when temperatures exceeded 49°C.
Extreme heat and drought have affected much of Europe this summer, driving up heat-related deaths in several countries. Spain has recorded around 4,500 heat-related deaths since June 1, while French health authorities have reported more than 7,300, according to figures released Thursday.
Older people have been the most vulnerable, particularly those aged 75 and above. Health officials said relatively few deaths were caused directly by heatstroke; most resulted from the combined effects of extreme heat and underlying health conditions.
The heat and drought have also affected Germany’s economy, fueling wildfires, reducing crop yields and lowering water levels in major rivers used for transporting goods.
Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior coalition partner in Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, has called for climate adaptation and nature protection to be incorporated into the country’s constitution. SPD Environment Minister Carsten Schneider said the climate crisis had become a “visible reality.”
The ministers also called for changes to urban planning and building regulations, as well as stronger workplace protections during extreme heat.
Former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said municipalities urgently needed financial support to adapt to a changing climate. He warned that the actual number of heat-related deaths could be higher than official estimates because such deaths are difficult to identify.
Hospitals and nursing homes have also come under pressure. Germany’s Association of Towns and Municipalities has estimated that adapting hospitals and care facilities to extreme heat could require billions of euros, including at least €20 billion for air-conditioning systems.