Nearly 801% of the French population experienced at least one extreme weather event in the two years prior, according to the first-ever Health Barometer 2024, a major biennial survey conducted by Public Health France. This emerging health concern directly impacts the physical and mental health of the French population, particularly women, disadvantaged groups, and certain regions such as Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
“ Environmental health is no longer a distant concern and is emerging as a daily preoccupation.“,” emphasized Yann Le Strat, Scientific Director of Public Health France, at a press conference. Of the nearly 35,000 adults aged 18 to 79 surveyed in metropolitan France and its overseas territories (excluding Mayotte, which conducts its own specific surveys), 78.81% reported experiencing at least one extreme weather event in the past two years. Heat waves were by far the most frequently mentioned (701%), followed by storms (271), forest fires (81), and floods (61). The majority (541) experienced two or more events, and 251 experienced only one.
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Climate change causes physical and psychological suffering
The suffering caused by exposure to these extreme weather events is undeniable. 371% of those affected reported suffering physically, 221% psychologically, and 171% both. People over 50 and women were particularly affected. Social inequalities have a significant impact, with 461% of physical suffering reported among the most financially disadvantaged population, compared to 301% among the wealthiest.
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Among the factors at play, housing is a major one, particularly in the case of heatwaves, the extreme event that most French people face. In Europe, people spend 90% of their time inside buildings“,” points out Basile Chaix, research director in epidemiology and public health at Inserm, on the occasion of Climate and Health Day, December 10, 2025. In France, 10.5 million residential buildings are beyond the point of thermal discomfort; this represents 501,000 residential dwellings, and 351,000 are thermal kettles.. »
Consequently, housing, far from being a refuge, becomes a particularly uncomfortable, even dangerous, place during heat waves. Unsurprisingly, the majority of heat-related deaths occur in the home."The heat, even without causing death, also disrupts mental and physical health by causing insomnia, cognitive impairment, and a sedentary lifestyle," adds the researcher.
People living in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region were the most vulnerable, with 511 people reporting having suffered physically or psychologically from an extreme weather event. They were closely followed by the Occitanie (491), PACA (481), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (451), and Île-de-France (451) regions. The least affected were the Brittany, Guadeloupe, and Martinique regions (around 271) and Réunion (251).
Worrying climate projections
The impact on mental health also relates to anxiety about the future, with almost 741% of adults surveyed expecting to face at least one more extreme weather event in the next two years. Here again, inequalities play a role. The more unfavorable the perceived financial situation, the more people who believe they will face a climate event in the future fear the repercussions on their physical or mental health." , the researchers specify in the 2024 Barometer report.
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The 26% French people who do not anticipate being exposed are undoubtedly very optimistic in light of the projections made by Météo-France. Global warming continues its course, following a 2024 that set a global temperature record, with the increase exceeding the 1.5°C threshold for the first time." explains Aurélien Ribes, researcher at Météo-France and the CNRS, during the Climate and Health Day.
Forecasts estimate a temperature increase of between 2 and 2.7°C in 2050, and 3 to 4°C in 2100. In a France with a 4°C increase, Paris would have the temperatures of Montpellier, Montpellier the temperatures of Seville, Lille the temperatures of Bilbao, and Lyon the temperatures of Rome, the researcher illustrates. We must expect a very marked increase in the number, intensity and duration of extreme weather events."Public Health France emphasizes this point in the 2024 Barometer." Heat waves will become more frequent and intense, with temperatures potentially reaching 50°C in mainland France as early as 2050. The risk of forest fires will become high in all regions, and the risk of coastal flooding during storms will increase significantly.“.
Taking action on the climate means improving health
In this context, climate health becomes a crucial issue, which can be seen as a positive opportunity, emphasizes environmental epidemiologist Rémi Slama, research director at Inserm, during the Climate and Health Day. Many climate change mitigation actions can lead to significant health co-benefits"Moving away from fossil fuels would prevent pollution-related deaths, limiting the carbon footprint of food would improve the quality of our diet, and limiting temperatures would encourage more physical activity and less sedentary behavior," the researcher points out.
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