As the mercury rises across the continent, UK experts are pointing to the low-cost, community-led heatwave survival tactics adopted in southern Europe, from designated cool-down spaces to the simple act of chalking windows. For British workers on zero-hour contracts and families struggling with rising energy bills, these strategies offer a lifeline in an era of climate inequality.
With temperatures topping 40°C in parts of Spain and Italy, local authorities have opened air-conditioned public libraries, community centres and even underground car parks as “cool-down spots”. In Seville, the city has begun naming heatwaves like storms, raising public awareness. Meanwhile, in Portugal, it is common to see residents drawing with chalk on windows to reflect sunlight, a technique that costs pennies but can reduce indoor temperatures by several degrees.
UK climate adaptation experts are now urging the government to adopt similar measures. “This isn’t about grand infrastructure projects,” said Dr. Hannah Clarkson, a public health researcher at the University of Manchester. “It’s about recognising that heat is a working-class crisis. People in flats without air conditioning, or those who cannot afford to run fans all day, need practical, accessible help.”
The praise comes as Britain braces for its own heatwave, with the Met Office predicting that the current hot spell could last into next week. For low-income families, the cost of staying cool is a growing concern. Energy prices remain high, and many cannot afford to keep fridges running efficiently, let alone invest in portable air conditioning units. ‘Cool-down spots’ – free, cool public spaces – could be a cheap solution for local councils.
But implementation is patchy. In Greater Manchester, fewer than half of councils have published a heatwave plan. In London, some boroughs offer “cool rooms” in libraries, but awareness is low. “We need a national strategy,” said Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition. “Heat kills more people in the UK than cold, yet we are woefully unprepared. We don’t have the culture of shading streets or opening public fountains that you see in Spain or Greece.”
Chalking windows – a trick used by grandparents in Italy and Greece – is another low-cost option. White chalk can be rubbed onto window panes to reflect sunlight without damaging the glass. “It might sound old-fashioned, but it works,” said Mr. Francisco Santos, a retired builder from Lisbon. “In my block, we all do it. The flat stays cool enough to sleep at night. It saves us from buying expensive blinds we can’t afford.”
Calls are growing for the government to fund public information campaigns and retrofit social housing with reflective coatings. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health has also recommended that local authorities map the most vulnerable streets and provide free bottled water during heatwave alerts.
Yet critics argue that such measures are mere sticking plasters. “We need systematic change, not just tips and tricks,” said Naomi Klein, a labour campaigner from Sheffield. “But when the state fails to act, communities have to improvise. The fact that we are learning from poorer European regions, while our own government prevaricates, is a disgrace.”
As the heatwave persists, the message from experts is clear: basic, affordable adaptations can save lives. But without political will, the poorest will continue to suffer most. For now, residents in Manchester are being urged to check on elderly neighbours, while in Leeds, a group of tenants are organising a communal cool-down space in a local church. It is grassroots survival, born of necessity.
The government has said it will review its heatwave response this autumn. For those counting the days until the cool returns, that may be too late.
