Spain is actively expanding its network of so-called climate shelters — special cool spaces in public buildings where people can wait out periods of extreme heat. Against the backdrop of a rise in deaths from high temperatures, experts say such places are critical to saving thousands of lives.
Euronews writes about this.
The Spanish government has announced the expansion of a network of climate shelters, which are being opened in public institutions, libraries, museums, sports centers and shopping malls. These spaces are equipped with air conditioning, relaxation areas and free water and are intended primarily for people who cannot protect themselves from the heat at home – the elderly, infants and people with chronic diseases.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez earlier announced that a number of government buildings would be used as temporary heat shelters. The nationwide network builds on regional initiatives already in place in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Murcia. In particular, around 400 climate shelters have been set up in Barcelona.
The measures are in response to record-breaking heat waves. Last year, the country experienced a 16-day period of extremely high temperatures, with temperatures reaching 45°C. Experts predict that Spain will see more than 150,000 heat-related deaths in 2025, with more than 10,000 of those deaths caused by prolonged exposure to moderately high temperatures.
One of the symbols of this problem was the death of Montse Aguilar, a 51-year-old street cleaner in Barcelona. She collapsed while working in the heat of around 35°C and later died. After that, hundreds of her colleagues and residents of the city took to the streets to demand better protection for workers working outdoors.
Experts say the problem is spreading rapidly across Europe. The continent is one of the fastest-heating in the world, and heat waves have even reached northern countries in recent years. For example, in Finland last year, temperatures hovered around 30°C for three weeks in a row, putting a significant strain on the healthcare system.
According to estimates by researchers at Lancet Countdown Europe, there will be approximately 62,000 heat-related deaths on the continent in 2024 alone. The largest increases are recorded in Southern European countries – Spain, Italy, Greece and France.
Researchers say that climate shelters should be made available primarily to the most vulnerable groups. According to the Spanish mortality monitoring system MoMo, the majority of people who died from heat-related causes between 2015 and 2023 were over 65 years old.