“The last four decades of global warming have led to a net gain in life expectancy.” – Piotr Walkowiak et al., 2025
Throughout Europe, exposure to harsh winters in colder climates is a greater mortality threat than living in warm climates with very hot summers. Succinctly put, warmer, milder winters save lives, whereas cold weather and harsh winters shorten lives.
The authors of a new study insist modern emphasis on limiting global warming so as to reduce heat-related mortality is misplaced, as it neglects the much more dangerous threat posed by cold weather.
“The primary climate threat that reduces life expectancy in Europe continues to be low temperatures.”
“…the dominant threat remains low-temperature mortality, which should no longer be neglected in the analysis of climate risk.”
Living in cold weather regions can reduce life expectancy by up to two years, whereas living in climates with hotter-than-optimal summers has almost no effect on reduced life expectancy.
“Colder-than-optimal temperatures had a greater effect on mortality than warmer ones. In Europe’s coldest regions, harsh winters reduced life expectancy by up to 24 months, while warmer areas like the Azores saw reductions of just 2 months.”
“…the most favorable regions for life was those with warm winters, yet moderated summer temperatures due to proximity to the sea…”
As the climate continues warming over the coming decades, this will have a net health benefit for humans.
“In broad terms, the climate in Europe is likely to become marginally less hazardous for humans…”
“…even after controlling for economic growth, a modest warming trend appears to offer a moderate benefit from the perspective of life expectancy.”
Due to the health benefits and improved life expectancy in warmer climates, older people should be migrating away from cold regions and into warmer ones.
“…there is a potential benefit in encouraging retirees to migrate to warmer islands or coastal areas as a thoughtful policy.”
“Opting for retirement migration to warmer locations should be encouraged as a health-conscious decision – a finding that mirrors the behavioral choices observed in previous studies.”
That’s a correlation but I would doubt it could be definitively defined as a cause
History shows that things get better when it warms, worse when it cools. Lots of real world data to confirm what it of course bloody obvious anyway.
thank you for this
I’m fond of warmer weather, but I wonder if there has been enough warming to make a difference. Where? How much?
Personally, I do not want to live on an island (?) or a coast. West coast of Florida — no thanks.
Great Britain is an island but so is Shetland Islands, not a place I aspire to for retiring.
The authors seem a little loose with the language.
John,
my grandfather left the Shetlands (as a sailor) and got to West Australia in 1892.
There was a gold rush on – and the ship had no crew, so he settled there (didn’t find any gold) and 50 years later told my father I never wanted to leave this wonderful place.
In 1977 I went to The Shetlands and was glad I was not living there.
A good place to visit in summer.
[…] From NoTrickZone […]
Beautiful article, Thanks……………………………
GTU
thank you
Warmer and wetter is better!
I doubt that a 0.4-0.5°C increase in 50 years would make any difference … but already many studies show that it’s cold snaps that kill the most, not heat waves, and that’s true in all the continents.
[…] näkee myönteisiä ilmastonmuutostutkimuksia tai niistä tehtyjä tiedeuutisia. Nyt näkee NTZ-sivustolla (Linkki). Walkowiak*3 tutkielma on kokonaisuudessaan luettavissa PDF-muotoisena […]