The Guardian, 7 August 2025

As temperatures soar, it’s time to close the green space gap

It has been a summer of heatwaves in western Europe, with record highs of 46C (115F) in Spain and Portugal.

An estimated 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities in June, according to a rapid scientific analysis, with two-thirds of those deaths linked to climate breakdown, which has made heatwaves more severe.

While green spaces can help mitigate extreme heat, a recent study shows that urban green spaces are not distributed equitably.