The European Union’s environment agency said that nearly half of schools and hospitals in European cities are located in what are known as urban “heat islands”, which makes the most vulnerable residents exposed to threatening temperatures in light of the exacerbation of the repercussions of climate change.
On Wednesday, the European Environment Agency, in an analysis of how Europe can adapt to deal with climate change, said about 46 percent of hospitals and 43 percent of schools are located in areas that are at least 2 degrees Celsius warmer than their average surroundings, leading to more severe repercussions. heat waves compared to rural areas.
This is due to the urban heat island effect, whereby dense agglomerations of buildings and infrastructure such as roads absorb and retain more heat than green areas.
Climate change, caused by the continued burning of fossil fuels in industry, is making heat waves higher and more frequent. This pathway, when combined with urban heat islands, poses risks including increased deaths from heat stress among vulnerable populations such as the elderly.
The Environment Agency urged governments to take measures to reduce the heat island effect in cities, such as spreading more green spaces and water bodies.