WASHINGTON, 27 June. - (ANA) - Europe’s cities can beat extreme heat by combining efficient air con with passive cooling to reduce emissions and energy use.

 

Parts of Europe sweltered in May as a heat dome spread across the continent, shattering temperature records for the month. Peak afternoon temperatures climbed to around 35 degrees C (95 degrees F) in the UK and France — about 10-15 degrees C (18-27 degrees F) higher than average for this time of the year. 

 

Deadly heat waves have become the new norm in recent years for Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent. With air conditioning in only 20% of the Europe’s buildings, city leaders face a pressing dilemma: how to keep people cool without worsening the climate crisis driving rising temperatures in the first place.

 

The cycle of rising heat, greater demand for cooling and growing emissions can be broken. Here, we look at data on Europe’s rising urban heat and explore how cities can adapt by pairing efficient, low-carbon air conditioning with long-term passive cooling solutions such as green roofs, reflective materials, tree planting and climate-smart building design.

 

 

 

 

The rising heat is being felt across the continent, from the typically warmer south to the usually cooler north. In June 2025, an unusually early heat wave made authorities close 200 schools across France, while parts of the Eiffel Tower were also shut due to the extreme heat. In July, temperatures in Athens soared to 44 degrees C (111 degrees F) for two days in a row, forcing the city to close the Acropolis, an UNESCO World Heritage site, due to dangerous heat levels.

 

It’s a scenario that could get worse as global temperatures continue to rise. Eight of the 10 countries across the world expected to see the biggest increase in extreme heat days — defined as days when the maximum temperature exceeds the historical average from the past 80 years — are in northwestern Europe, including Ireland, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

 

A WRI analysis of 69 of Europe’s largest cities – home to 165 million people, or about 22% of the continent’s population – found that the number of days at 35 degrees C (95 degrees F) or more could rise by 53% if global temperatures increase by 3 degrees C. Heat waves would also last longer under this scenario, making their impacts more severe.

 

The financial impact of heat is already clear. From 1980 to 2010, heat waves caused annual economic losses equivalent to 0.3% to 0.5% of GDP in several European cities, rising to more than 1% in southern Europe, mostly due to lost productivity. Without action to adapt, these losses could increase fivefold in the next 30 years.    - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/27 June 2026 - - -