Europe must learn to adapt to extreme heat
My recent visit to the beautiful Greek islands of Corfu and Paxos gave another indication that planning a holiday in search of the somewhat cooler months of early summer has become futile. Locals kept saying that it was unseasonably hot for the beginning of June, as temperatures hit 34 degrees Celsius, considerably higher than what a simple internet search suggests for this time of the year.
As a matter of fact, the term 'unseasonable' has become redundant, as this is the new normal. And it is no longer just Southern Europe: Northern Europe is also experiencing extreme and prolonged periods of hot weather. Should you have been watching the tennis at Wimbledon on TV, do not be deceived by the lush green grass of its courts, as these are exceptional and a far cry from the bleached yellow acres of London's famous public parks.
Thermometers do not lie. They indicate that Earth's average surface temperature in 2024 was the warmest on record, at about 1.55 C above preindustrial levels. And the indications are that we could see this undesirable record broken again in 2025. While the need to combat global warming for the sake of humanity should by now be unquestionable, there is also the issue of how to make summers more bearable for European cities that are not geared to such a hot climate.
Many of them, especially in the north, were built to protect from very cold weather or, in the process of modernization and urbanization, ignored the impact of massive stretches of concrete paving and densely built urban spaces. One of the great challenges we face is adapting to the new hotter conditions without exacerbating global warming through the mass installation of air-conditioning systems, which seems to be a growing trend.
A European heat wave was once a genuine rarity, a phenomenon that would pass in a matter of days and not recur for years. This is no longer the case. In Spain, a record temperature of 46 C was recorded last month and temperatures are generally remaining higher. In London, they can remain at about 30 C for weeks, while rain is hard to come by.
Hence, the first step in adapting to this new situation is to recognize that this is what summers are now going to look like for the foreseeable future. So, there is a need for measures to counter the trend, not only because it is unpleasant or uncomfortable, but because it also affects our quality of life and our health. It can even be life-threatening, particularly for our more vulnerable citizens — it has already been referred to as the 'silent killer.'
It is estimated that June's heat wave killed 2,300 people across 12 major European cities in a matter of 10 days — and 1,500 of these deaths are attributed by scientists to the climate change crisis. The impact of extreme hot weather, nevertheless, goes beyond health risks, as it affects daily human functioning, including cognitive and physical performance, and interferes with quality of sleep; hence, it should not be taken lightly.
The fast-tracking of modernization and urbanization has seen the retreat of large green areas.
Yossi Mekelberg
The instant solution has been to install more air conditioning, as has already been done in nearly 90 percent of homes in the US, compared to only 20 percent in Europe, mainly in the south. No more than a fraction of houses in the British Isles, Germany and the Nordic countries are air conditioned. But since this is a growing market, it must come with a stern warning. While it may provide instant relief from the heat, the heavy consumption of electricity that comes with it and the fact that air conditioners simply pump hot air back into the environment exacerbate climate change and contribute to the soaring summer temperatures.
If the obvious answer to preventing future heat waves is to contain and reverse climate change, cities need to look into more short-term solutions, even if these provide only partial answers. There is, for instance, a broad consensus that developing more green and open spaces, planting more trees, has a dual effect on fighting pollution. Equally, those open places provide relief from the heat in densely built cities.
According to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, botanical gardens can cool the city air by about 5 C during heat waves, with parks and wetlands also significantly reducing air temperatures. However, the fast-tracking of modernization and urbanization has seen the retreat of large green areas and their replacement with high-rise buildings that bring more people and, with them, more pollution.
Pavements also play their part in heating cities due to the materials they are made with, their color and how reflective they are. Using less concrete and more natural stone, which absorbs less heat, helps. Several cities in Australia and Canada are also identifying large areas for the removal of paving, allowing more plants and soil for the purpose of cooling urban areas.
Municipal leadership is already responding with creative ideas. For instance, Barcelona has installed some 400 aesthetically pleasing canopy shelters where people can cool off for free, adding to the attraction of the city for both locals and tourists. The nongovernmental organization Climate Adapt is promoting the building, repairing and maintenance of fountains for drinking and cooling, as well as cooling by water spray from fountains and other recreational water features, such as splash pads and spray parks.
Most European cities were built along rivers or by lakes and, after decades of neglect and pollution, there is a drive to clean them up, which could provide another source of relief from the heat. In Paris, the river Seine has reopened to swimmers, allowing them to take a dip in the French capital's famous waterway for the first time in more than a century, although it cost more than €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to clean it up and make it suitable for Olympic competitions last year.
Hiding under a well-designed canopy or dipping in a park's paddling pool are ways to mitigate the effects of the unbearable heat waves that are becoming increasingly common. The ever-hotter summers that now go beyond mere inconvenience and have become harmful to health are another warning that, in the midst of a very busy domestic and international agenda, the most crucial issue for the survival of humanity and the planet has been sidelined, to the detriment of both.
If we do not take the necessary action, at some point in the distant future, patchy measures — as important and comforting as they are — will become meaningless. In the meantime, do not forget to apply your sunscreen, carry a bottle of water and take a dip in a cool river near you.
• Yossi Mekelberg is a professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House.
X: @YMekelberg
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My recent visit to the beautiful Greek islands of Corfu and Paxos gave another indication that planning a holiday in search of the somewhat cooler months of early summer has become futile. Locals kept saying that it was unseasonably hot for the beginning of June, as temperatures hit 34 degrees Celsius, considerably higher than what a simple internet search suggests for this time of the year. As a matter of fact, the term 'unseasonable' has become redundant, as this is the new normal. And it is no longer just Southern Europe: Northern Europe is also experiencing extreme and prolonged periods of hot weather. Should you have been watching the tennis at Wimbledon on TV, do not be deceived by the lush green grass of its courts, as these are exceptional and a far cry from the bleached yellow acres of London's famous public parks. Thermometers do not lie. They indicate that Earth's average surface temperature in 2024 was the warmest on record, at about 1.55 C above preindustrial levels. And the indications are that we could see this undesirable record broken again in 2025. While the need to combat global warming for the sake of humanity should by now be unquestionable, there is also the issue of how to make summers more bearable for European cities that are not geared to such a hot climate. Many of them, especially in the north, were built to protect from very cold weather or, in the process of modernization and urbanization, ignored the impact of massive stretches of concrete paving and densely built urban spaces. One of the great challenges we face is adapting to the new hotter conditions without exacerbating global warming through the mass installation of air-conditioning systems, which seems to be a growing trend. A European heat wave was once a genuine rarity, a phenomenon that would pass in a matter of days and not recur for years. This is no longer the case. In Spain, a record temperature of 46 C was recorded last month and temperatures are generally remaining higher. In London, they can remain at about 30 C for weeks, while rain is hard to come by. Hence, the first step in adapting to this new situation is to recognize that this is what summers are now going to look like for the foreseeable future. So, there is a need for measures to counter the trend, not only because it is unpleasant or uncomfortable, but because it also affects our quality of life and our health. It can even be life-threatening, particularly for our more vulnerable citizens — it has already been referred to as the 'silent killer.' It is estimated that June's heat wave killed 2,300 people across 12 major European cities in a matter of 10 days — and 1,500 of these deaths are attributed by scientists to the climate change crisis. The impact of extreme hot weather, nevertheless, goes beyond health risks, as it affects daily human functioning, including cognitive and physical performance, and interferes with quality of sleep; hence, it should not be taken lightly. The fast-tracking of modernization and urbanization has seen the retreat of large green areas. Yossi Mekelberg The instant solution has been to install more air conditioning, as has already been done in nearly 90 percent of homes in the US, compared to only 20 percent in Europe, mainly in the south. No more than a fraction of houses in the British Isles, Germany and the Nordic countries are air conditioned. But since this is a growing market, it must come with a stern warning. While it may provide instant relief from the heat, the heavy consumption of electricity that comes with it and the fact that air conditioners simply pump hot air back into the environment exacerbate climate change and contribute to the soaring summer temperatures. If the obvious answer to preventing future heat waves is to contain and reverse climate change, cities need to look into more short-term solutions, even if these provide only partial answers. There is, for instance, a broad consensus that developing more green and open spaces, planting more trees, has a dual effect on fighting pollution. Equally, those open places provide relief from the heat in densely built cities. According to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, botanical gardens can cool the city air by about 5 C during heat waves, with parks and wetlands also significantly reducing air temperatures. However, the fast-tracking of modernization and urbanization has seen the retreat of large green areas and their replacement with high-rise buildings that bring more people and, with them, more pollution. Pavements also play their part in heating cities due to the materials they are made with, their color and how reflective they are. Using less concrete and more natural stone, which absorbs less heat, helps. Several cities in Australia and Canada are also identifying large areas for the removal of paving, allowing more plants and soil for the purpose of cooling urban areas. Municipal leadership is already responding with creative ideas. For instance, Barcelona has installed some 400 aesthetically pleasing canopy shelters where people can cool off for free, adding to the attraction of the city for both locals and tourists. The nongovernmental organization Climate Adapt is promoting the building, repairing and maintenance of fountains for drinking and cooling, as well as cooling by water spray from fountains and other recreational water features, such as splash pads and spray parks. Most European cities were built along rivers or by lakes and, after decades of neglect and pollution, there is a drive to clean them up, which could provide another source of relief from the heat. In Paris, the river Seine has reopened to swimmers, allowing them to take a dip in the French capital's famous waterway for the first time in more than a century, although it cost more than €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to clean it up and make it suitable for Olympic competitions last year. Hiding under a well-designed canopy or dipping in a park's paddling pool are ways to mitigate the effects of the unbearable heat waves that are becoming increasingly common. The ever-hotter summers that now go beyond mere inconvenience and have become harmful to health are another warning that, in the midst of a very busy domestic and international agenda, the most crucial issue for the survival of humanity and the planet has been sidelined, to the detriment of both. If we do not take the necessary action, at some point in the distant future, patchy measures — as important and comforting as they are — will become meaningless. In the meantime, do not forget to apply your sunscreen, carry a bottle of water and take a dip in a cool river near you. • Yossi Mekelberg is a professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. X: @YMekelberg
