By euronews
Published on 18/06/2026 – 9:37 GMT+2
As Europe prepares for a record-breaking heatwave this June, with some regions expected to reach temperatures near 40 °C, two studies reported by France Info underscore the serious health impacts of extreme heat in France.
An Oxfam analysis on climate change and health estimates that heat contributes to roughly 5,400 deaths each year in the country. The NGO warns that this represents a genuine “public health emergency” that is still not adequately addressed by public authorities.
Oxfam highlights that the dangers of heat extend well beyond dehydration among the elderly. The risk of death from heart attacks rises by 7 % during heatwave episodes, and mortality among women on the hottest days is twice as high. When heatwaves last longer than a week, the risk of acute kidney failure surges by 70 %.
Heat Exposure Disproportionately Affects Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods
Oxfam also points out that global warming is intensifying social inequalities. In the summer of 2025, excess mortality in the most deprived areas was estimated at 31 % higher than in wealthiest districts. Conversely, residents of the 20 % most affluent urban neighbourhoods faced up to ten times lower exposure to extreme heat risks.
The Housing Foundation echoes these findings in its study on summer energy poverty. It reports that about two-thirds (66 %) of French households struggle to cope with heat at home, and that 40 % of homes lack “fully equipped shutters,” which are essential for mitigating overheating. The study also shows that working‑class neighbourhoods are the most affected.
These residents often contend with compounded vulnerability factors: dense urban planning with heat‑amplifying materials, a scarcity of green spaces, poorly insulated homes that stay “boiling hot,” a general decline in health, and occupations that expose them to higher temperatures.
Calls for Swift Action to Protect the Vulnerable
Given these findings, the organisations urge public authorities to accelerate the thermal renovation of housing.
The Housing Foundation champions the “Zero Boiling‑Hot Homes” bill, supported by more than 150 MPs, and proposes a national programme to equip homes with shutters and fans by 2040. It also calls for strengthening the Green Fund dedicated to climate adaptation of public spaces and for establishing “extreme heat” schemes, modeled on winter plans, to better safeguard the most vulnerable, including the homeless.