Listen: As heatwaves sweep across Europe, is the EU investing enough to adapt buildings to extreme heat?

Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.

EUobserver is proud to have an editorial partnership with Europod to co-publish the podcast series “Briefed” hosted by Léa Marchal. The podcast is available on all major platforms.

Find the full transcript below:

School closures, free access to museums… Across Europe, authorities are taking exceptional measures to cope with the current heatwave. In my municipality in Wallonia, churches are opening their doors so residents can find some relief from the heat.

But what is being done on a larger scale to adapt buildings to rising temperatures?

Hi, I’m Léa, and this is Briefed, your daily European podcast.

The European Union was the first continent to adopt a legally binding objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. So that’s already a good starting point.

But even if humanity manages to limit global warming, it won’t be able to reverse the warming that has already occurred. We will have to adapt to higher temperatures regardless.

So where do we start?

Through its various funding programmes, the European Union can finance projects aimed at adapting infrastructure to climate change.

For now, however, the EU remains heavily focused on decarbonising the economy in order to tackle climate change at its source.

As a result, it invests heavily in projects designed to reduce CO₂ emissions.

According to the European Commission, nearly one-third of the EU budget is devoted to climate-related objectives.

This funding covers a wide range of activities, from deploying renewable energy and supporting sustainable agriculture and fisheries to financing certain digitalisation projects.

Only a small share of this budget, spread across several funds, is specifically dedicated to adapting to higher temperatures.

One example is the post-Covid Recovery Plan.

As a reminder, this was the massive investment programme launched after the Covid-19 crisis.

Of the €5bn allocated to Belgium, around €1bn is earmarked for the renovation of public buildings.

The primary objective is to make these buildings more energy-efficient and less vulnerable to cold weather, thereby reducing heating needs. But many of the same renovations also help buildings cope better with summer heat.

That’s just one funding source. There are others.

In France, for example, the Oasis schoolyard programme, which aims to cool down school playgrounds, is co-financed by the EU’s Regional Development Fund.

Since 2017, 203 Oasis schoolyards and five Oasis nurseries have been created. Measurements taken on site show that shaded areas in Oasis schoolyards can be up to eight degrees Celsius cooler than traditional playgrounds, which often offer little shade.

And that’s without mentioning the other benefits, such as better rainwater management and the educational and social uses of these redesigned spaces.

So these are the kinds of projects the EU can support. Unfortunately, they do not reach every school or public building.

Beyond funding, are there European obligations that require Member States to take adaptation measures?

Yes. But they are not always respected. Let me explain.

Because the EU has enshrined its 2050 climate neutrality target in law, Member States must submit national plans to the European Commission explaining how they intend to meet these objectives.

Unsurprisingly, the plans submitted are not always satisfactory. And when that happens, the Commission unfortunately has limited powers. It can issue recommendations and encourage countries to improve their plans, but not much more.

The other lever lies in renovation requirements set out in EU legislation.

For example, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requires Member States to renovate a share of their least efficient public buildings.

And from 2030 onwards, all new buildings will have to be zero-emission buildings.

In this case, countries that fail to comply can face consequences. The European Commission may launch infringement procedures against member states that do not fulfil their obligations. It can even bring cases before the courts and ultimately seek financial penalties.

In practice, however, infringement procedures often take years to conclude, and some never move very far.

In other words, what is really needed is stronger political commitment from member states, both to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt infrastructure to a warmer world.