A holiday in Seville sounds good – but not when the temperature is over 43 degrees. The city in southern Spain has reached such temperatures several times in recent years. This can be dangerous for residents. What measures are being taken in Seville.
With its picturesque streets lined with traditional Andalusian buildings and its lively atmosphere, Seville offers an atmosphere like no other. The city is known for its architecture (such as Seville Cathedral, the Alcázar and the Plaza de España), its lively nightlife and its exuberant attitude to life.
But as beautiful as Seville is, for many people the city is out of the question as a place to live: “It’s far too hot there,” they often say. And this attitude is not without reason: in Seville, temperatures regularly rise to dizzying heights in summer. Recent years have even brought the city some of the hottest days in its history, with peak temperatures of 44.8 degrees in 2022 and 43.7 degrees in 2023. However, the record from 1995 (46.6 degrees) has not been broken in recent years.
The city, nestled in the Guadalquivir valley, is considered one of the hottest cities in Europe – and climate change could drive temperatures even higher. What measures is the city taking to combat this?
Warning system: Seville names heat waves
Denying climate change? A city like Seville cannot afford that. In the fight against the increasing heat, the city introduced the proMETEO system in 2022. This system names and classifies heat waves and is also intended to predict them. This will inform residents up to five days in advance so that they can prepare for the extreme temperatures. The system was developed in collaboration with a network of various scientific institutions and the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center.
ProMETEO uses technology that analyses local weather data and categorises heatwaves based on their potential health impacts. The categories range from low to very high risk. Each heatwave is given a name in reverse alphabetical order to raise awareness and facilitate communication.
The advance warnings are intended to minimize health risks from heat, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and people with pre-existing medical conditions. The mayor of Seville, Antonio Muñoz, stressed the importance of the system in June as part of the city’s strategy to make the city more resilient in the face of climate change, as the Independent reports. And there are other approaches.
A self-cooling bus stop as a place of refuge
A smart invention could soon provide cooling in Seville: a bus stop that can reduce the ambient temperature by 20 degrees. This project, developed by José Sánchez from the Department of Energy Engineering at the University of Seville, is completely self-sufficient. Purified water is stored in an underground tank that circulates through the structure, creating a cooling effect. The system is powered by solar panels installed on the roof of the stop. These panels collect solar energy during the day, which is then used to keep the water circulating and cool the stop.
Another interesting feature is the station’s smart sensors, which can detect both temperature and the presence of people. The system is programmed to stop its activities when temperatures drop or there are no people present, and only become active when it is really needed.
However, the project is currently still in its early stages: in 2023 it was announced that the first prototypes would be used in the city just one year later, as Andalusia Aktuell reported. In 2024, however, we are still waiting for this to happen. The project was put out to public tender by the city of Seville – a business partner is still missing.
App shows shady places in Seville
Various studies have shown that trees can influence temperatures in cities. Cities around the world are therefore relying on tree planting initiatives to counteract urban temperatures, improve quality of life and combat climate change. An initiative by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has planted around 18.5 million trees in cities around the world to reduce extreme heat events. And what is happening in Seville?
At the moment, this is more theoretical than practical. A research project at the University of Seville is investigating how the combination of sun sails and trees could contribute to the necessary cooling in the city. The sun sails are intended as a temporary solution: They are designed to adapt to the growing trees and provide shade until the plants can take over.
A beautiful vision – and urgently needed. Seville is still looking for enough shady spots. The city’s residents regularly express their displeasure on social media.
At least you already have help in finding cool spots. The Shademap app shows the places in the city that are best tolerable during the midday heat. The interactive tool works similarly to Google Maps and shows the shadows cast by buildings and vegetation in real time or at a specific time of day. Especially between 4 and 5 p.m., when temperatures are at their highest, this map shows which areas of Seville benefit most from natural and artificial shade.
National strategies against heat
Seville is pursuing various approaches to protect the residents of the Spanish city from increased temperatures, but these are unlikely to be enough to prevent heat-related deaths.
These are not uncommon: According to a report by the National Statistics Institute (INE), more than 350 people died in Spain in 2022 due to extreme heat; the figures for 2023 are not yet available. According to the report, the number of deaths due to extreme temperatures has increased compared to previous years. Many other deaths are due to high blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic diseases that, according to the INE, increase the risk of death in extreme heat. Studies (including this new publication in the journal Lancet Public Health) assume that the number of heat-related deaths in Europe will rise sharply over the course of the century – especially in southern European countries such as Spain.
It is not just cities that are trying to tackle this problem. The Spanish government has been implementing heat action plans since 2008, which include general protection recommendations for the population. In 2024, a map was also issued for the first time that should enable more precise heat warnings, as Euronews reports. This works in a similar way to the system in Seville, but issues warnings for regions across Spain.
Spain reacted very early to the threats posed by heat – in Germany, Karl Lauterbach presented the Federal Ministry of Health’s first concrete heat protection plan in 2023. There are also various plans and measures at the state and municipal level.
Seville: Residents suffer from climate change
Seville is one of the hottest places in Spain and is already experiencing unusually strong heat waves. Residents are helping each other with fans. All shops also close between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., then reopen at 5 p.m. and often stay open until late in the evening. During the scorching afternoons, blinds are drawn and residents retreat to their cool houses or shady courtyards. Nevertheless, the heat in the city is a problem – and can be dangerous for the health of residents.
Utopia says:
The Spanish government and the city are working on measures to protect the population. It remains to be seen how effective these will be if pollution continues to increase in the coming years. In order to limit this effect, it is important to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as effectively as possible globally. According to the Federal Environment Agency, Spain already produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions per capita than Germany (6.2 vs. 8.9 tons of CO2 equivalents).
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