As Europeans swelter, can they learn from Australians?

Temperatures in parts of France have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius during the heatwave. (Reuters: Abdul Saboor) Europe's deadly record-breaking heatwave has exposed its vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change. While countries overseas can look to Australia for adaptation tips, experts say all nations have work to do to improve their resilience to extreme heat. Temperatures in Europe are set to subside over the weekend. Link copiedShareShare articleEurope has only just begun summer but is already in the grips of a severe heatwave that has seen records tumble and at least 48 people drown. Scientists warn this type of event is becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. Britain logged its highest temperature for June on Wednesday, reaching 36 degrees in southern England as a heat dome hovered over much of Western Europe. France recorded its hottest day for the second day running, when temperatures peaked at 44.3 degrees in the south-western town of Pissos on Tuesday.Temperatures in Paris hit 40.9, a June record, on Wednesday. Italy's health ministry placed 16 cities — including Florence, Milan, Rome, Turin and Verona — on its highest heat alert, and warned the heatwave could intensify further, peaking between Sunday and Monday. Spain has also hit its highest daily average temperature in June since at least 1950, breaking the previous record of 28.01 degrees set last June. But hitting high temperatures for several days straight during summer is familiar territory for Australians, who often question why Europeans struggle during such hot spells. Temperatures across much of France on Tuesday were more than 15C above average. (Supplied: Climate Central) Health experts say a range of factors can influence differences in heat tolerance, including physiology, behaviour and engineering. So as countries around the world find ways to adapt to rising temperatures, could Australia's experience with scorching summers teach some valuable lessons? While Australians have generally become acclimatised to hotter temperatures due to exposure, that does not mean their bodies will better adapt to more frequent and intense heatwaves. ANU honorary professor Liz Hanna, whose research focuses on the impact of heat exposure on health, said there was an "upper limit" to how much heat the human body could survive. Australians flock to the beach during heatwaves but often wear hats and seek shade. (ABC News: Timothy Ailwood) But she said greater exposure meant Australians generally understood how to behave during a heatwave. "Australians are very good at wearing hats now and protective covers to help protect the skin, as we absorb a lot of heat through the skin," Dr Hanna said. Liz Hanna says Europeans typically struggle with extreme heat due to unfamiliarity. (ABC News: Simon Beardsell) Dr Hanna said, apart from those living in warmer countries like Italy and Greece, Europeans were less familiar with extreme heat. "Not only is their body not used to it, but also in how to behave, how to respond and how to protect themselves," she said. Housing design in Europe can differ depending on the location, with countries in warmer climates like Spain and Italy typically opting for stone and brick buildings, blinds, smaller windows and natural ventilation to promote cooling. RMIT's Nicola Willand, an architect who specialises in housing, energy, health and equity, said countries in cooler climates, like Norway, Sweden, Hungary and Siberia prioritised insulation to minimise heating demand. "But the dilemma is if you insulate a home really well and you draft-proof it, then you need to rely on shading, because as soon as the sun comes through the window you get the greenhouse effect," she said. "It warms up on the inside and the heat no longer dissipates. The Queenslander is a house design for subtropical climates. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Jessica Hinchliffe) The Queenslander is an example of a climate-adaptive house design that was built in the 19th century in a subtropical climate where houses were lifted off the ground and verandahs provided shading. "That shaded area underneath the house would always be cool and then you had timber floors, so the cool air from below would then be sucked up into the house and provide natural cooling," Dr Willand said. "Lightweight materials so they didn't trap the heat inside, but when it cooled down overnight you opened the windows and the whole house could cool down relatively quickly." Dr Willand said countries in Europe had their own energy rating rules and temperature requirements for houses. "Germany, for example, only looks at heating and not cooling yet, whereas in Australia we have our nationwide energy home rating system since 2005," she said. Europe is heating up more than twice the speed of the global average. (Reuters: Alice Sacco) European countries like France are taking steps to prepare for the impacts of climate change, such as planting vegetation

As Europeans swelter, can they learn from Australians?

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As Europeans swelter, can they learn from Australians?

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