An institute of the Cyprus University of Technology is a core partner in the network behind an open letter in which 1,240 health and care professionals from 28 European countries urge EU institutions to adopt binding legislation and adequate funding to protect people from extreme heat. The letter, sent to members of the European Parliament on Wednesday, cites preliminary estimates of more than 30,000 extra deaths in Europe this summer.
The initiative is coordinated by the European regional hub of the Planetary Health Alliance, in which the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII) is a core partner. The letter is addressed to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, MEPs, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commissioners.
It comes as the EU shapes a new framework on climate resilience. According to the CII, the Commission presented a proposal for a European climate resilience law on 27 October. The signatories want it to include legally binding obligations, specific targets and measurable health outcomes, not just general guidance, and to recognise extreme heat as a serious cross-border threat to public health. Europe does not lack plans, they say, but political commitment, specific obligations and the resources to carry them out.
Deaths and risk
Nearly 16,000 of the extra deaths occurred in the last week of June alone, according to the estimates cited in the letter. It also cites the Lancet Countdown report for Europe for 2026, which found that heat-related mortality rose in 99.6 per cent of the 823 European regions monitored in 2015 to 2024, compared with 1991 to 2000.
Older people, those with chronic illnesses, outdoor workers and people living alone in homes that overheat are among those most at risk, the letter says, adding that the risk of dying from extreme heat depends not only on age and health but also on income, occupation and housing.
Heat limits at work
Current EU law sets only general obligations for employers, without the specific binding framework the authors consider necessary to tackle heat risks. They are calling for an EU directive on preventing heat-related occupational risks, with binding temperature limits adapted to local conditions, automatic restrictions on work when conditions become dangerous, and common European rules for assessing risk. They also want compensation and protection for seasonal and mobile workers and those employed through digital platforms.
Safe homes and health systems
The health professionals call for safe indoor temperatures for vulnerable people, including through energy upgrades to existing buildings, passive cooling and electricity grids adapted to higher summer demand. People with limited financial means often have fewer ways to protect themselves from extreme heat, the letter notes.
They also want an EU action plan on heat and health, backed by a dedicated fund to make hospitals, care services, schools and nurseries more resilient, and early warning systems in all member states for heatwaves and wildfire smoke. For their part, they pledge to prepare plans for extreme temperatures, protect staff and patients and adapt health facilities.
Economic cost
According to an analysis cited in the letter, extreme heat and wildfires affected the EU’s gross domestic product by about 1 per cent in 2026, or about 180 billion euros. A separate Allianz Research analysis puts productivity losses in 30 European countries at 113 billion euros during the most intense five-day heatwave of the summer. The two estimates cover different economic effects and cannot be added together.
The authors say these figures do not capture the full cost, as they exclude deaths, illness, long-term harm to health and the effects on quality of life.
Next steps
The letter builds on the European Declaration on Climate and Health, endorsed by 129 organisations in August 2026. The signatures were collected by 1 November, and the letter remains open for signing.
The European Secretariat of the Planetary Health Alliance forwarded it to MEPs on 4 November. Formal submission to the European Parliament and the European Commission is planned for 10 December, ahead of the Environment Council meeting on 11 December.
