The European Union’s newly released State of the Climate 2024 for Europe has called the attention to the severity of the changing climate across the continent. Europe experienced its warmest year on record in 2024, with central, eastern, and southeastern regions particularly affected by unprecedented temperatures.
Figure S3.1. Anomalies and extremes in annual surface air temperature in 2024. The extreme categories (‘coolest’ and ‘warmest’) are based on rankings for 1979–2024. The other categories describe how the temperatures compare to their distribution during the 1991–2020 reference period. ‘Much cooler/warmer than average’ - cooler/warmer than 90% of temperatures. ‘Cooler/warmer than average’ - than 66% of temperatures. ‘Near average’ - within the middle 33%. Data: ERA5. Credit: C3S/ECMWF. Source: ESOTC 2024 Europe / Temperature.
The report reveals that nearly half of the year’s days were much warmer than average, and southern and eastern Europe experienced a surge in days marked by 'very strong heat stress,' where the feels-like temperature exceeded 38°C.
Since the 1980s, the number of days with strong to extreme heat stress has been steadily rising, and 2024 saw the second highest number of such days on record for strong and very strong heat stress, following 2010. For extreme heat stress, 2024 ranked just behind the record-setting years of 2010 and 2023.
Figure 4.1. Number of days with at least ‘strong heat stress’ in 2024, and associated anomalies, relative to the average for the 1991–2020 reference period. A day with ‘strong heat stress’ has a maximum feels-like temperature, based on the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), of at least 32°C. Data: ERA5-HEAT. Credit: C3S/ECMWF. Source: ESOTC 2024 Europe / Thermal Stress.
Such extremes in temperatures have a strong impact on Europe’s quality of life, especially in our cities and towns. Due to the urban heat island effect, temperatures in urban areas can reach 10 to 15 degrees more than surrounding rural areas, intensifying already extreme heat stress.
Local action to mitigate the urban heat islands and cool our cities are essential to safeguarding quality of life across Europe on multiple fronts – to protect the populations’ wellbeing, to ensure equality faced with rising climate risks, as well as to maintain our cities dynamic and attractive places to live, work and visit.
The EU State of the Climate Report is a reminder that it’s time to #HitRefresh in our cities and towns. Here are four reasons why.
To Restore Health
Heat is the most severe and pressing climate risk to human health today. As Europe's foremost silent climate killer, heat waves are responsible for 95% of climate or weather-related deaths over the past 40 years (European Environment Agency). In 2022, extreme heat caused over 61 000 deaths.
The threat of heat waves is even more acute in urbanised areas due to the heat island effect, where infrastructure, dense populations and human activity can raise city temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees compared to nearby rural areas, according to a JRC study.
With the number of heat-related fatalities projected to increase with rising temperatures, cities have the urgent responsibility to protect their inhabitants and create a healthy and safe environment for all. Rising temperatures are intensifying the Urban Heat Island effect. This occurs when urban development replaces natural landscapes with concrete, roads and buildings, making urban areas significantly hotter than surrounding suburbs—sometimes by as much as 10–15°C. The consequences are serious: nearly half of city hospitals and schools are located in areas with strong Urban Heat Island effects, putting vulnerable groups—such as children and people with health conditions—at greater risk during extreme heat events.
Sustaining quality of life and ensuring wellbeing in our cities and towns depends on effective local responses to heatwaves.
The city of Maribor in Slovenia has developed the country’s first local heat action plan, focusing on identifying and protecting the most vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, infants and outdoor workers, as well as people with pre-existing medical conditions.
© Slovenian Surveying and Mapping Authority.
To Rebuild Communities
The most vulnerable and marginalised of our communities are at the greatest risk during heat waves, as heat exacerbates chronic conditions and disproportionately affects exposed populations.
Heatwaves thus pose a serious threat to outdoor workers, the elderly, people suffering chronic illness, pregnant women, children, unhoused individuals and those living in poorly built dwellings or with inadequate access to cooling. Underserved neighbourhoods often suffer more intense heat island effects due to high density, absence of vegetation and deficient housing conditions.
For a more inclusive and just society, cities and towns must address heat’s disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable populations, providing direct assistance, addressing energy poverty and housing deficiencies, and strengthening community support.
The city of Getafe is addressing the uneven impact of heat on vulnerable households by rehabilitation and regenerating social housing through their programme Getafe Rehabilita.
Photos: Getafe City Council.
Read more about the social impact on heat in our EUSEW blog.
To Renew Urban Design
Critical infrastructure often falters under extreme heat, disrupting city activity, making them less operational and comfortable. From malfunctioning transportation systems to overexposed public spaces, non-resilient urban design brings city life to a standstill.
To ensure our cities and towns are not only liveable but also dynamic in a warmer climate, refreshing the design of the space and infrastructure is essential.
The city of Vienna is cooling down transport infrastructure by setting up green bus stops, which are estimated to be about 1-1.5°C cooler than conventional ones, significantly improving thermal comfort for waiting passengers during heatwaves.
To Revive Local Economies
Heat places significant strain on economic activity, local industries, and infrastructure. According to a 2021 study, due to effects on productivity, the economic costs of heatwaves are projected to increase fivefold by 20606. With ever more frequent and longer heatwaves, European countries will have to face yearly economic losses up to 3% of their GDP.
Certain industries are particularly affected, including the building sector, with outdoor workers particularly impacted, and tourism, which will experience significant declines in activity in some regions, especially along southern coastal areas.
To remain competitive and attractive as places to live, work, and visit, cities and towns must reimagine their economic hubs and workspaces, increasingly challenged by rising temperatures.
In 2021, Italy’s Puglia region declared a public health emergency and introduced regulations restricting outdoor agricultural work during peak heat hours, helping raise awareness of heat-related injuries among workers.
Join the Campaign
Our #CitiesRefresh campaign aims to inspire and empower cities to refresh their cities in the face of extreme heat – reinventing themselves for a cooler, safer and livelier tomorrow.
By joining the campaign, you are adding your voice to the community of cities and towns already proactively facing today and tomorrow’s heat waves.
Is your city acting to combat heat waves? Submit an action to showcase your efforts on our map!
Več informacij
- Datum objave
- 29 April 2025