heat stress

Unions in Europe are advocating for new laws to address heat stress linked to an estimated 230 annual workplace deaths. This year's toll may be higher, with 1,300 excess deaths from a June heatwave reported by the World Health Organization, and other estimates reaching up to 20,000.

A study confirms the current European heatwave is the most severe and widespread ever recorded, driven by the climate crisis from fossil fuel burning. Nearly half of Europe's 850 largest cities are experiencing their worst heat stress, exacerbated by high humidity that reduces the body's ability to cool through sweating.

In the UK's record-hot summer of 2025, livestock heat deaths during transport doubled compared to 2024, with 6,600 animals—mostly chickens—dying due to heat stress. Data from the Food Standards Agency, obtained via FOI, revealed extreme transport conditions, including body temperatures exceeding 45°C in chickens, and climate change was cited as a contributing factor.

Mexico, Kenya, Italy, and other nations are experiencing one to two additional months of heat stress compared to the 1970s, with some areas experiencing even more, according to new research. The study highlights a significant increase in heat stress duration over recent decades.

A peer-reviewed study reveals that combined exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (common in plastics) and climate change impacts, such as heat stress, likely causes reproductive harm across humans, wildlife, and invertebrates. The research highlights an 'alarming' link between these factors and the global decline in fertility.