By the summer of 2026, Spain will create a nationwide network of climate shelters where people can seek refuge from extreme heat. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez.
“Devastating droughts and heat waves are no longer uncommon. Sometimes in the summer we don’t experience separate waves, but one long heat wave that lasts from June to August. This is now our new reality,” noted Pedro Sánchez.
According to the BBC, specially equipped cooling rooms will be installed in public buildings across Spain, which will be available to everyone.
Climate shelters will be equipped with air conditioning, seating and free drinking water. They are mainly intended for the most vulnerable groups – people with chronic diseases, the elderly, infants and people with limited financial resources.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the state will finance the creation and maintenance of such shelters in regions most affected by high temperatures.
Meanwhile, Spain’s national meteorological agency AEMET reports that the summer of 2025 is so far the hottest on record. Spain experienced three severe heatwaves during the season, one of which lasted 16 days, with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius in several regions.
The new national network will complement the existing climate shelters established by regional municipalities. Such systems have previously been implemented in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Murcia, among others.
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, currently has around 400 climate shelters. They are located in libraries, museums, sports complexes, shopping malls and other public places where residents can endure periods of extreme heat.
Pedro Sánchez also announced additional measures as part of the government’s climate policy. The government will fund flood prevention projects in small towns and allocate 20 million euros (about $24 million) to forest fire prevention measures in municipalities with limited resources. These initiatives are part of a national agreement to combat climate change.
The proposed package of measures has yet to be considered by the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish Parliament. The prime minister called on representatives of all political forces to support the initiative, stressing that it “is not an electoral weapon, but serves as a protective shield for Spain.”
According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, extreme heat waves are becoming more frequent and more intense due to human influence on the climate.
The Spanish Ministry of Health reports that more than 3,800 heat-related deaths will be recorded in the country in the summer of 2025. This is 88% more than in the corresponding period of 2024.
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