In a post on X, Ghebreyesus called on world leaders to make investment in resilient, climate-adaptive health systems a top priority, alongside accelerating efforts aimed at reducing the factors driving the climate crisis.

The World Health Organisation urged the relevant authorities to take immediate and proactive measures to protect populations and reduce loss of life, including cooling urban areas, ensuring access to water and shaded spaces for all residents, monitoring vulnerable groups, and preparing for sharp rises in temperatures.

The organisation noted that the European Region is the fastest-warming region in the world, with temperatures rising at nearly twice the global average rate. This has resulted in more than 200,000 deaths over the past four years, in addition to a 30 percent increase in heat-related mortality over the past two decades, raising concerns over the growing likelihood and severity of future heatwaves.