Over 70% of Europeans currently reside in urban areas, a number projected to rise to 84% by 2050. Concurrently, Europe is experiencing temperatures increasing at twice the global average rate, with Brussels facing a “critical” situation.
A recent Urban Insight report by Sweco, an architecture and engineering firm, examined the heat control strategies of 24 European cities and identified “significant shortcomings” in their climate plans. The report underscores the escalating risks to public health, energy infrastructure, and economic productivity due to extreme heat.
“This extreme heat poses significant risks to public health, energy infrastructure, and economic productivity in urban areas,” the report emphasized. “Heat-related deaths have increased by about 30% over the past 20 years. Despite these risks, heat-related concerns are often overlooked in cities’ climate plans.”
The urban heat island effect, which causes cities to warm faster than rural areas, exacerbates the temperature rise in Europe. In Brussels, for instance, urban temperatures can be up to 8°C higher than in surrounding rural areas. The number of days with ‘moderate heat stress’ (26°C to 32°C) is expected to increase by 150% between 2020 and 2100, adding nine additional heat days each year.
“The city is experiencing an increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, with at least one heatwave occurring every year between 2015 and 2019,” the report noted.
The predicted rise in heatwave days in Brussels is alarming. From 18 heatwave days in 2020, the number is projected to more than double to 40 by 2100. This significant increase in heatwave duration poses severe threats to public health, infrastructure, and resources.
In response, Brussels’ climate plan highlights nature-based solutions, such as creating and enhancing local green spaces, as a primary strategy to combat increased heat.
Additionally, adapting and retrofitting infrastructure to ensure comfort is a key component of the city’s plan. Urban planning is deemed an “essential lever” for ambitious climate adaptation measures, with municipal authorities aiming to increase access to urban green spaces through a comprehensive greening programme.
“European cities’ climate plans need to focus more on protecting vulnerable groups by improving the cooling of facilities such as preschools, assisted living facilities, and care homes,” said Séverine Hermand, Climate Resilience Planning Expert at Sweco.
The report calls for urgent heatwave mitigation and resilience efforts. It recommends digital innovation, natural solutions, and green-blue infrastructure as the foundation of heat plans, alongside the design of high-performance buildings.
Cities are urged to invest in detailed data for monitoring, evaluation, and vulnerability mapping and to develop a long-term vision.
With the EU allocating €680 billion for climate-relevant measures during the 2021-2027 period, Hermand emphasized the availability of funding for these solutions. “It is now time for European cities to level up by implementing new methods to help cool cities.”
The heatwave forecast for northern European cities is equally concerning. In cities such as Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo, heatwave days are expected to increase by at least 140% between 2020 and 2100, according to the report.
As Europe grapples with the reality of its rapidly warming cities, the urgency to adopt comprehensive and innovative heat control measures has never been greater. The path forward demands a unified effort to safeguard public health, protect infrastructure, and ensure the well-being of its urban populations.
