Key facts
- Portugal has experienced six heatwaves by early July, with record temperatures.
- Environmental groups have sent an open letter to the Portuguese government demanding action on extreme heat.
- The letter calls for the creation of a national network of climate shelters and accelerated building renovations.
- Excess mortality has been recorded in Portugal during recent heatwaves.
- Experts attribute the extreme heat to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
Environmental organizations in Portugal are urging the government to implement urgent measures to address the escalating crisis of extreme heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. Francisco Ferreira, president of the environmental association Zero, highlighted that Portugal has already experienced six heatwaves by early July, a number equal to the total for the previous year, with temperatures consistently breaking records.
Zero, along with 11 other environmental groups including Quercus, Geota, Greenpeace Portugal, and WWF Portugal, has delivered an open letter to the government headquarters. The letter, addressed to key ministries and the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities, declares extreme heat a public health emergency and demands concrete actions for adaptation in urban centers. The association's president stated that cities have not given sufficient priority to these circumstances.
Key demands include the establishment of a national network of climate shelters, where municipalities would identify public and private spaces like libraries and parks to offer protection during heatwaves. They also call for accelerated renovation of buildings to improve insulation and the installation of air conditioning in vulnerable facilities such as nurseries, care homes, and day centers. Ferreira emphasized the need for practical implementation of these measures, noting that Municipal Climate Action Plans, which should have been ready by February 2024, are still not in place.
Ferreira attributed the lack of action to competing municipal priorities, a lack of technical capacity in smaller municipalities, and the significant costs associated with structural climate adaptation measures. He acknowledged that while these investments are expensive upfront, they will prove cheaper in the long run and improve quality of life.
The letter underscores that extreme heat is a present threat to public health and safety, disproportionately affecting neighborhoods with less green space and more paved surfaces. By early July, Portugal had recorded 59 days under heatwave conditions in the first six months of the year. This trend is increasing, with recent years seeing a higher number of heatwave days. These extreme temperatures have also led to a rise in mortality, with approximately 539 excess deaths recorded in Portugal between July 2 and 8 during the most recent heatwave. Across Europe, over 10,000 excess deaths were reported between June 22 and 28. The World Health Organization has warned that these summers will become increasingly difficult, with the current heatwave described as a 'dress rehearsal'.