Europe Heatwave Forces School Closures Across Several Countries

PARIS – Several European countries have closed schools, reduced classroom hours, and activated emergency public health measures this week as an intense heatwave pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius across parts of Western and Southern Europe, according to reports from Reuters and The Guardian published in late June and early July 2026.

Authorities in France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal introduced emergency measures after unusually high temperatures strained public services, disrupted transportation, and increased the risk of wildfires.

French education officials temporarily closed or partially suspended classes in hundreds of schools where classrooms could not be kept at safe temperatures, while local governments opened cooling centers to protect vulnerable residents.

According to Reuters, French Ecological Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher warned that the country was facing an exceptional climate event, saying, "We must adapt our public services to increasingly frequent extreme weather events." The government urged local authorities to prioritize children's safety, particularly in schools lacking adequate cooling systems.

The European heatwave has also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Hospitals across several countries reported increased admissions related to heat exhaustion and dehydration, while emergency medical teams expanded operations to respond to vulnerable populations, including older adults and young children. Public transport operators in several cities introduced speed restrictions on rail networks to prevent infrastructure damage caused by extreme temperatures.

According to The Guardian, meteorologists attributed the prolonged heatwave to a combination of persistent high-pressure systems and the long-term effects of climate change, which scientists say are making extreme weather events more frequent and more intense across Europe.

The newspaper cited climate experts who warned that record-breaking temperatures are becoming increasingly common during the European summer.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the European Union's climate monitoring agency, has repeatedly reported that Europe remains the fastest-warming continent on Earth.

Scientists from the agency have stressed that rising global temperatures are increasing both the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, placing growing pressure on education systems, healthcare infrastructure, energy supply, and public services.

Climate experts say schools are becoming one of the sectors most vulnerable to prolonged extreme heat because many educational buildings were not designed to withstand sustained high temperatures.

As European governments prepare for future summers, policymakers are expected to accelerate investments in climate adaptation, including modernizing school infrastructure, expanding urban cooling initiatives, and strengthening emergency response systems to protect students and communities from increasingly severe heat events.