Heat in Europe is becoming an increasing threat. According to a report by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the continent is warming almost twice as fast as the global average: while the global temperature has increased by 1.3 degrees, the temperature in Europe has increased by 2.4 degrees.
This has a number of consequences: cities are becoming heat islands and the use of stone, concrete and asphalt is exacerbating the problem of overheating. Extensive droughts are being experienced in southern Europe. Glaciers in all European regions continue to melt and there is more intense precipitation. These changes lead to an increase in the number of floods and other natural disasters.
The health consequences of heat are particularly evident in the results for the summer of 2024, the hottest on record in Europe. According to a study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), abnormal temperatures caused 62,775 deaths, which was 23.6% higher than the previous season. The majority of these deaths were recorded in Italy, where the estimated mortality rate among people over 75 was 323% higher than in all other age groups.
“Protection from heat needs to be an essential medicine”
Gerardo Sánchez, a representative of the European Environment Agency, said that data on heat-related deaths should encourage long-term investment in infrastructure to help cope with climate change.
Sanchez told Reuters
“Protection from heat needs to be treated as an essential medicine for those that need it the most.”
A number of European cities are already implementing such solutions at various levels. One example is the Heat-Health Action Plan (HHAP), which the WHO defines as a document or strategy developed by city, district or regional authorities to combat the negative effects of heat. The HHAP includes measures for forecasting, alerting people and opening climate shelters, among others.
A number of measures affect the everyday experience of city dwellers, but these measures are currently fragmented. Paris has launched the Oasis programme, which involves converting school playgrounds into green spaces complete with artificial ponds. These spaces are open to the public outside of school hours. It is hoped that these new green spaces, including those in central areas, will naturally protect against excessive heat. There are currently ten pilot projects in the city.
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Vienna adopted an even more comprehensive approach to adapting to heat: in 2020, it introduced Coole Straßen Plus, a scheme designed to make streets more resilient to hot weather. This involved introducing traffic restrictions, planting trees and grass, using lighter-coloured asphalt and installing water features and shade to ensure more pleasant temperatures and improve quality of life. Around twenty streets across the city took part in the programme. For instance, between July and October 2020, Franklinstraße was transformed into a pedestrian zone complete with eight fountains, additional bicycle parking spaces, and 200 square metres of greenery.
Although the initiative is temporary, Green Cities Europe writes that the streets remain cooler for more than one summer. This is achieved through structural changes, including creating new green spaces with mature trees. These trees are set to become one of the most important tools in the city’s efforts to create a more comfortable summer climate.
In Southern Europe, greening alone is insufficient to combat extreme temperatures. In Barcelona, which experienced its hottest summer on record in 2025, a network of around 400 climate shelters has been established to provide people with a place to seek refuge from the heat. Unlike similar shelters in the United States, these are not treated as separate, specialised facilities, but as integral parts of the city. Authorities have designated several air-conditioned public spaces, including libraries and community centres, as well as open spaces such as parks and courtyards. There are now more than 400 shelters located throughout the city. Almost 90% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of one.
In addition, Barcelona City Council is setting up ‘micro-shelters’ for short stays. These include pharmacies, shops, and other commercial organisations. They typically offer one or more seats and sometimes provide free water and toilet facilities.
In addition to urban development, many city councils are introducing the role of Chief Heat Officer (CHO), essentially a ‘mayor for heat’. Such a position already exists in Athens, for example. Eleni Mirivili, who held the role from 2021 to 2023, says that a participatory budgeting project launched by the previous city administration was one of the effective measures to combat heat. The city council provided residents with funding to improve cooling spaces in their neighbourhoods. Architects and urban planners held seminars to explain what was possible from legal and financial points of view.
Projects in the Baltic States
Although there are relatively few such projects in the Baltic States, the climate is milder and cities are actively developing green frameworks and experimenting with green roofs. At the same time, urban density is lower and the cold Baltic Sea is nearby, which reduces the heat effect.
The Riga City Council has officially approved the Riga Urban Greening Plan for 2027–2031. The city is also participating in a number of programmes aimed at reducing long-term climate risks.
- Urban ReLeaf: an international project that the city joined in 2025. Residents were given special heat sensors that they simply had to carry around to help identify areas of the city that were particularly hot in summer.
- LIFE LATESTadapt is a joint programme between Estonia and Latvia. The project’s main objective is to promote the sustainability of urban areas through nature-based solutions. On Terbatas Street, an experiment is underway to make the pavements, roofs and facades more green, and to install parklets and permeable surfaces to allow water to be absorbed, rather than heating up the asphalt and concrete.
lsm.lv / Photo: Aija Kinca
- Green City Agreement: In 2022, Riga joined a movement of European city mayors seeking to make cities greener, cleaner and healthier. The programme aims, among other things, to preserve urban parks and green areas and increase biodiversity.
- Ban on coal and gas boilers: From 1 January 2026, permits for installing new gas boilers will not be granted unless there is a valid economic reason. A ban on solid and liquid fuels (including coal) is already in force in some parts of the city. Additionally, the Nordic Investment Bank has invested around €20 million in modernising Riga’s heating systems by renovating outdated pipes and switching to renewable energy sources.
- Reinvestment programme: In 2023, Riga launched an initiative whereby budget funds generated through energy savings would be allocated to long-term measures aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2030.
