Europe’s current heatwave is exposing a growing climate paradox. A continent designed to endure long and harsh winters is struggling to survive scorching summers, as temperatures soar above 40°C across large parts of southern Europe and spread into regions once considered relatively cool.
Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, France and several Balkan countries have borne the brunt of this year’s extreme heat, while unusually high temperatures have also reached Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Heatwaves that were once rare are now occurring with alarming frequency, disrupting daily life, straining healthcare systems, fuelling wildfires and forcing governments to rethink how Europe cools its homes, hospitals, schools and workplaces.
Southern Spain’s Andalusia region has repeatedly recorded temperatures above 40°C, while neighbouring Portugal has battled both extreme heat and heightened wildfire risks. Italy has issued repeated health alerts as cities including Rome, Sicily and Sardinia swelter under prolonged high temperatures. Greece continues to grapple with intense heat that has stretched emergency services, while southern France and parts of the western Balkans remain under frequent weather warnings.
Architectural Trap
Unlike many countries in Asia, the Middle East or North America, Europe has never relied heavily on air conditioning. Only around one in five European households has an air-conditioning system, and many schools, hospitals, government offices and public transport networks still lack adequate cooling. For decades, this made economic and environmental sense because European summers were generally mild and short.
The continent’s architecture reflects that reality. Buildings were designed to trap heat during long winters, with thick stone walls, insulated roofs and compact layouts that minimise heat loss. While these features improve winter energy efficiency, they now leave homes and offices sweltering during prolonged heat waves, often remaining uncomfortably warm well into the night. Rising night-time temperatures further reduce the body’s ability to recover from daytime heat, increasing health risks.
Hospitals across affected countries have reported rising admissions for dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Older adults, young children, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses remain the most vulnerable. The crisis has reignited debate over Europe’s long-standing reluctance to embrace air conditioning.
Governments have traditionally prioritised passive cooling measures such as natural ventilation, better insulation and energy-efficient building design, arguing that widespread air-conditioner use would increase electricity demand and carbon emissions if powered by fossil fuels.
That thinking is now evolving. Public health experts argue that reliable cooling should be treated as essential infrastructure rather than a luxury. Governments are exploring ways to combine energy-efficient cooling powered by renewable electricity with longer-term measures such as reflective roofs, external shading, greener buildings and expanded urban tree cover to reduce overall temperatures. The United Kingdom is another example to illustrate how quickly attitudes are changing. Air conditioning has traditionally been limited to offices, hotels and shopping centres, with relatively few homes equipped with cooling systems.
But longer and hotter summers, combined with the rise of hybrid working, are prompting more households to install air conditioners to keep homes comfortable throughout the day.
Cooling Divide
Yet access to cooling remains deeply unequal. Wealthier households are far more likely to own air-conditioning systems than lower-income families, who often cannot afford installation costs or higher electricity bills. Older people, renters and low-income households, among those most vulnerable to extreme heat, are also likely to have access to effective cooling. This growing ‘cooling divide’ is emerging as a new public health challenge across Europe and the UK.
Experts caution that simply installing millions of additional air conditioners is not a sustainable solution. Without a rapid expansion of renewable electricity, increased cooling demand could strain national power grids and raise greenhouse-gas emissions, creating a vicious cycle of rising temperatures and rising energy consumption.
Instead, urban planners advocate comprehensive cooling strategies that combine energy-efficient buildings, improved ventilation, shaded public spaces, reflective construction materials, greener cities and targeted financial support for vulnerable households.
These measures can reduce urban temperatures while limiting dependence on mechanical cooling.
In fact, the 2024 Paris Olympics organisers installed cooling stations, misting fans, hydration points and enhanced medical facilities, while several national teams brought portable air-conditioning units after concerns over athlete recovery in the Olympic Village, where organisers had opted for a low-carbon cooling system instead of conventional air conditioning.
Across Europe, sporting calendars are adapting. Tennis tournaments have introduced additional cooling breaks, football clubs schedule training sessions during early mornings or evenings.