Spain to open climate shelter network ahead of next summer

Spain will create a national network of climate shelters in public buildings before next summer to offer people refuge from extreme heat, Spain's prime minister has announced.

The move was announced as Pedro Sanchez outlined a plan to tackle the impact of climate change during a conference in Madrid on Wednesday.

“Devastating droughts and heat waves are no longer uncommon. Sometimes in the summer we experience not individual heat waves, but one long heat wave stretching from June to August. This is the new normal now,” he said.

In 2025, Spain experienced its hottest summer ever and three heat waves. A 16-day heat wave in August saw temperatures exceed 45C (113F), according to the Government Meteorological Agency (AEMET).

A national network of shelters will make places to stay cool available to everyone, Sanchez said.

The shelters will be government-funded in areas “that need them most, where the heat is really hitting people hardest”, he added.

The deployment will be in addition to existing networks already set up by regional governments, including in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Murcia.

In Barcelona, ​​the capital of the Catalonia region, there are already about 400 climate shelters in buildings, including libraries, museums, sports facilities and shopping centers.

Air-conditioned spaces, usually with seating and free water, are designed to provide people with shelter from the heat, especially those with health problems, the elderly, infants and people with limited resources.

Sánchez also announced the government would fund plans to prevent flooding in small towns, with €20m (£18m; $24m) also allocated for fire prevention plans in small towns as part of the government's climate change pact.

The package of proposals has yet to be submitted to the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of Spain's parliament. Sánchez asked other political groups to contribute to the pact, saying it was “not a selective weapon… it is a shield for Spain.”

Heat waves are becoming more common and intense due to man-made climate change, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

More than 3,800 heat-related deaths have been reported in Spain this summer due to scorching temperatures – an 88% increase on 2024 – estimates Ministry of Health.

In 2025, Spain will also experience devastating bushfire seasonMore than 400,000 hectares were burned.