Redesigning the city to survive extreme heat

Climate shelters and adapted urban spaces as a response to climate change

What does it consist of?

Cities are not prepared for what is coming: rising temperatures, warmer nights and vulnerable population at risk. To address this, a comprehensive strategy has been launched to create climate shelters, transform urban space and plan how to adapt entire neighbourhoods to the new environmental conditions.

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Data

PROJECT TITLE IN THE CALL
Climate refuges: adaptation to climate change of areas particularly affected by the urban heat island phenomenon in the Balearic Islands
LOCATION
Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Formentera
Entity submitting the PROJECT
Govern de les Illes Balears
Entity that executes the project
Conselleria de Transició Energètica i Sectors Productius
Project code
ITS2023-091
Total project amount
317.000 €
ITS granted amount
317.000 €
Executed amount
108.683 €
Call year
2023
Budget implementation status
In execution
Purpose
Environment
Budget execution
Executed: 34.28%
Last updated
23.03.2026

The project

The impact of climate change in urban environments is no longer a hypothesis: it is a measurable reality. Over recent decades, the average temperature in the Balearic archipelago has increased by 0.3 ºC per decade, and it is predicted that between 2040 and 2100 the frequency of heat waves will multiply. This phenomenon is exacerbated in urban areas, where the so-called "heat island effect" can raise local temperatures up to 5°C above the regional average.

Faced with this scenario, a programme combining scientific research, urban intervention and citizen participation has been launched. The first phase consists of mapping the most vulnerable areas using satellite imagery and thermal measurements, and cross-referencing them with social and health indicators. This mapping will serve to prioritise actions in public spaces that require urgent transformation: squares, parks, streets and school environments.

Each intervention will be designed in collaboration with the local councils and with the direct participation of neighbours, who can help define what these new adapted spaces should be like: more vegetation, shaded areas, permeable pavements, water points, rest areas. The plan is to implement up to 12 pilot projects with an estimated investment of 2.6 million euros, and to develop a roadmap for replicating the model in the future.

The ultimate goal is clear: to create a network of urban climate shelters that can provide relief from extreme heat, especially for the most vulnerable people. Beyond immediate comfort, this transformation aims to reduce the demand for air conditioning, improve air quality and recover public space as a liveable and healthy place in a context of the climate crisis.