LONDON — A new Lancet Countdown report has warned that the opportunity to protect public health from accelerating climate change in Europe is narrowing, as rising heat-related deaths, worsening air pollution, food insecurity and climate-sensitive diseases outpace political momentum for adaptation and emissions reductions across the region.
The 2026 Europe report, published in The Lancet Public Health, examined 43 indicators tracking the links between climate change and health using data through 2025. The assessment, prepared by 65 experts from 46 academic and United Nations institutions, concluded that climate-related health risks are intensifying while action has become increasingly delayed or uneven.
According to the report, nearly all monitored European regions experienced increases in heat-related mortality during 2015-2024 compared with the 1991-2000 baseline. The researchers also documented growing exposure to extreme heat, increased health risks for outdoor workers, expanding conditions favorable to infectious diseases, and mounting threats to food security and mental health. Vulnerable populations, including older adults, infants, lower-income households and outdoor workers, face disproportionate impacts.
The authors said Europe remains a global leader in climate action but warned that continued dependence on fossil fuels continues to harm health through air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They also found declining political, media and public engagement on climate and health in recent years despite expanding scientific evidence of the risks.
"Across Europe, the health impacts of climate change are intensifying faster than our response is keeping up," report co-director Joacim Rocklöv said in a statement accompanying the publication. He urged faster action to reduce emissions while strengthening adaptation measures to protect public health.
The report highlighted examples of progress, including continued investment in cleaner energy, while arguing that greater coordination between health and climate policies could produce immediate health benefits through improved air quality, more resilient health systems and reduced exposure to climate hazards.
Its findings come as Europe experiences another period of extreme heat. Separate analyses by climate scientists concluded that the continent's late-June 2026 heatwave was made dramatically more likely by human-induced climate change, while health authorities have reported substantial excess mortality linked to the event in several countries.
The Lancet Countdown authors said the report is intended to provide policymakers with updated evidence on the health consequences of climate change and the benefits of mitigation and adaptation measures, emphasizing that decisions taken during the coming years will have significant implications for population health across Europe.
