LONDON — Cities across Europe expanded heat action plans this week as record-breaking temperatures prompted authorities to open cooling centers, issue public health alerts and activate emergency measures aimed at protecting vulnerable residents during an early summer heatwave.
The actions followed a stretch of unusually high temperatures that broke national and local records in several countries, disrupted transport networks, strained hospitals and increased concerns about heat-related illness. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), national weather services and public health agencies said coordinated heat-health response plans had been activated across affected areas as millions of people faced dangerous conditions.
The renewed focus on heat preparedness comes as governments and municipalities increasingly treat extreme heat as a public health emergency rather than solely a weather event. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization's Europe office released updated guidance encouraging countries, regions and cities to strengthen Heat-Health Action Plans through coordinated warning systems, healthcare preparedness, community outreach and measures to protect high-risk groups.
According to the WMO, France recorded its hottest day on record on June 24, while several other European countries also experienced unprecedented temperatures. National meteorological agencies issued the highest-level heat warnings in multiple regions, and officials warned that prolonged daytime and nighttime heat increased health risks, particularly for older adults, young children, people with chronic illnesses and outdoor workers.
"Extreme heat is a silent threat that can affect health, strain infrastructure, overwhelm hospitals, cause suffering and claim lives," the WHO Regional Office for Europe said when releasing its updated guidance on June 2. The agency said comprehensive heat-health action plans are essential to prepare for, respond to and reduce the impacts of increasingly frequent heatwaves.
Authorities in several countries advised residents to limit outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, stay hydrated, check on vulnerable neighbors and use designated cooling facilities where available. Emergency services also monitored increased demand linked to heat-related illnesses, while transport operators warned that high temperatures could affect rail lines, roads and other infrastructure.
Scientists and international agencies have said rising global temperatures are increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. While long-term climate trends continue to be studied, public health officials have emphasized that preparedness measures can substantially reduce heat-related illness and deaths.
As of Sunday, national weather agencies and local authorities in several European countries continued to maintain heat alerts and response measures, while the WHO and WMO said they would keep coordinating with governments and meteorological services as the heatwave persisted.
