Extreme heat becomes the leading climate-related health risk in Spain, placing increasing pressure on the healthcare system

Extreme heat is no longer an occasional emergency but has become a structural threat to public health in Spain. This is the main conclusion of the new report, Extreme Heat, Health at Risk, prepared by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the ”la Caixa” Foundation, and presented today at the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK) Auditorium as part of the DKV Health and Environment Observatory.

The nearly 100-page report translates the latest medical and climate evidence into the reality of Spain's streets and hospitals. It provides an accurate overview of the current situation, equipping healthcare professionals with practical information to address a risk that is already shaping the future of the country's healthcare system.

Created by DKV in 2008, the Observatory has established itself as a rigorous platform for reflection, connecting scientific evidence with social realities. Its aim is to raise public awareness of the links between the environment and health while providing knowledge to support decision-making by policymakers and healthcare professionals.

The report shows that heat stress has already become the leading climate-related health risk in Spain, revealing that each additional degree of temperature increases heat-related mortality by 35%. Far from being a temporary phenomenon, climate projections indicate that Spain could face up to eight heatwaves per year by 2050, accompanied by a critical increase in "tropical nights", during which temperatures remain too high for the body to recover physiologically.

This new climate reality is placing Spanish hospitals under increasing strain, with emergency medical admissions rising by as much as 42.8%. The report also highlights a profound inequality gap: postcode and income level have become major determinants of the risk of illness or death due to heat, with older people, women living alone and residents of disadvantaged neighbourhoods being the most affected.

Opening the event, Fernando Campos, CEO of DKV, placed the report within the insurer's broader corporate purpose: "At DKV, we are convinced that understanding the context in which we operate is essential to building a healthier future for people by providing the best solutions for our customers—both individuals and businesses—as well as for the healthcare system as a whole."

Campos was unequivocal about the consequences of inaction: "Episodes of extreme heat are no longer exceptional. They now shape healthcare planning, resource management and the quality of care. Ignoring them is not a responsible option, either from a social perspective or from the standpoint of efficient healthcare system management."

Dr Elizabeth Diago Navarro, ISGlobal researcher and presenter of the report's findings, emphasised that: "We already have robust scientific evidence on the impacts of extreme heat, we know which population groups are most vulnerable, and we have strategies to mitigate its consequences. What is needed now is to implement these measures comprehensively so that we can respond more effectively to the extreme heat events we are already experiencing and will continue to experience."

Following the presentation, the event featured a panel discussion moderated by Silvia Agulló, DKV's Director of Sustainability and Reputational Risk, who stressed that "we need to put in place mechanisms that enable us to anticipate the serious health problems arising from this adverse phenomenon."

The panel also included Dr Martín Reyes, Head of Cardiology at Quirónsalud, who noted that: "We are seeing an increasing number of vulnerable patients, particularly older adults, whose medication needs to be adjusted during heatwaves because their health becomes destabilised by the growing risks that extreme heat poses."

Víctor Segura, from the Spanish Red Cross Emergency Unit, also took part in the discussion. He stated: "We are gradually moving towards a culture of preparedness, although we are doing so in response to negative events such as the recent floods. We are currently focusing on community-based assistance so that, in cases of extreme need, neighbours and people close to those at risk are able to provide support. We are also promoting training and household and community emergency plans."

Download the full report using the following link.