Heatwaves over the past two decades have brought a stark reminder of the effects of the climate crisis. In addition to their environmental impact, extreme heat is also becoming a major cause of death particularly among the elderly and city dwellers.

Out of the 296,000 global deaths recorded among the elderly in 2018 in Europe, over a third (104,000) were attributed to extreme heat, according to the published in December 2020.

The same year, Luxembourg recorded its second-hottest summer on record, according to Meteolux, with temperatures averaging 20.1°C. The hottest summer, however, was in 2003 when average temperatures reached 20.5°C.  

In 2003, Luxembourg recorded two heat-related deaths, while in 2018 there was just one death, according to health minister Paulette Lenert (LSAP), in her response to a . However, she adds that the register of causes of death is not specific enough to provide an exhaustive figure for heat-related deaths.

Heat-related deaths are expected to cause up to 165,000 deaths per year in Europe by the 2080s as a result of climate change, according to the .