The heatwaves have become more common and intense, causing the search for solutions for a few breaths of coolness.

Climate shelters can be an option to make cities resistant to extreme temperatures, Euronews notes.

Where can we go to get out of the heat?

Climate shelters

In a wave of intense heat, such as the one experienced by Lisbon and other European cities in recent weeks, some places offer relief and dew to the public.

These may include public parks and gardens, libraries, cultural centers, museums or schools, which are open during the day to accommodate vulnerable groups.

“The thermal islet phenomenon is intensified in the heat,” says scientist Manuel Banza.

“We have many buildings and often narrow roads, which makes it difficult to circulate air,” he explained.

The data scientist published a work that identifies potential climate shelters in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.

He made an interactive map of the city, where he added gardens, fountains, fountains, public pools and libraries.

In Lisbon, where the phenomenon of the thermal islet is common, the city council has not yet promoted such a network, but the Manuel Banza map can help.

“There is a wide range of temperatures in the houses and Lisbon is one of the worst cities in Europe in terms of energy efficiency, which means that both summer and winter people find it difficult to heat or cool their homes,” he said.

“And so here is a municipal and public responsibility for us to turn the public space into an area that is an extension of our homes,” he says.

More than half of Lisbon residents who participated in an energy and environmental poverty survey reported that they felt heat discomfort in their homes, both in summer (56.5%) and winter (63.2%).

In addition to discomfort, the heat is also associated with increased mortality. Between June 28th and July 3rd this year, Portugal recorded 284 heat deaths.

Barcelona example for the rest of Europe

In the meantime, there may be something to learn from Barcelona, the Spanish city that has pioneered the creation of a network of climate shelters, with more than 400 sites, which is a role model for other European cities.

Analysts say that what really makes the Catalan city a great example is the clear criteria for definition of what a refuge is.

According to Ana Terra Amorim-Maia, a researcher who specializes in adapting cities to climate change in the Basque Climate Change Center (BC3), “is not a climate shelter automatically”.

“In order to meet the needs of populations that are more vulnerable to extreme temperatures, they must have at least these minimum criteria- they must have a covered space where people can sit, drink water and use the toilet,” Terra Amorim-Maia told Euronews.