What this desert city can teach the world about tackling heat deaths

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. What this desert city can teach the world about tackling heat deathsImage source, Getty ImagesByAna FaguyPublished4 hours agoIt has been a blisteringly hot summer for much of the US and Europe. Scientists have warned that these extreme temperatures are the new normal for these communities. France reported an increase of more than 2,000 deaths during the record-breaking heatwave in late June.

In England and Wales, scientists estimated that more than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes from a series of heatwaves since May. And in the US, at least 44 heat-related deaths were reported over the 4 July holiday weekend from the extreme weather. For many, the rising temperatures have been a shock to the system, a new reality people have had to adjust to as extreme weather events become more frequent and intense with climate change.

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"People don't realise this is not the same heat that we were experiencing 10 years ago, it is actually worse, because in many cases nighttime temperatures are not cooling off," Jennifer Marlon, a Yale University researcher who looks at the impacts of extreme heat, told the . Our bodies rely on cooler nighttime temperatures to recover from the heat of the day. But for one city in the US, hot temperatures are not new.

Officials in Phoenix, Arizona, have spent years working on solutions to reduce heat deaths, an effort that seems to be working, and could provide a blueprint for the world. Maricopa County where Phoenix is located, has some of the hottest temperatures in the US so it finds itself at the forefront of the battle over heat safety - working on programmes that offer residents access to cooling centres and free air conditioning. More than 2,700 people may have died in exceptional May and June heatwaves in England and Wales Published4 days agoFrance records 2,025 excess deaths at peak of heatwave as Europe braces for more extreme weather Published3 JulyFree air con?

US cities look at new ways to prevent heat deaths Published19 June 2024Phoenix was the first city worldwide to hire a heat officer in 2021. "We've had the the relative benefit of knowing that this is going to be a problem every year, but it appears to be more and more of a problem or more of a predictable event in communities across the globe," Maricopa County's chief medical officer Nicholas Staab told the . Image source, Getty ImagesThe county's efforts to reduce the number of heat-related deaths have proved successful in recent years.

After heat-related deaths reached a peak of 645 in 2023, they declined to 405 in 2025 - with many experts attributing part of the decline to the policy changes. Much of the county's focus has been on increasing access to air conditioning, as many heat deaths were among people with low incomes or experiencing homelessness. The county offers consistent, open access to cool spaces.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.