HEAT WAVES: Heat Waves European Project: raising awareness on heatwaves and climate change for enhanced safety
The Heat Waves project co-funded by the Erasmus+ project is developing innovative teaching and learning content for the European school system to increase awareness and build resilience to climate change phenomena, in particular to the heat-waves that affect most part of the European Union
The Cerberus heatwave is sweeping across southern Europe, with parts of Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey experiencing temperatures above 40ᵒ. The media and educational sectors play a crucial role in protecting lives, especially of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions.
A study recently published in Nature[1] estimates the death toll of the 2022 heatwaves in Europe at more than 60.000 people. An interesting feature of this study is the breakdown of victims by geography, gender and age, shedding light on socio-economic factors as contributors to fragility.
The Heatwaves project is contributing to advancing the awareness about heat-waves by working with teachers and students in 4 European countries on innovative pedagogies relating to climate change and heat waves. Heat Waves project’s aim is to bring awareness for climate change education to the schoolteachers, school leaders and other trainers. Supporting teaching staff of schools in their education activities is necessary to face better climate change and to understand really the future environmental challenges. In fact, education is an essential and cost-effective approach to deal with climate change. This project will contribute to maximizing the role of education on the fight against global warming by creating an innovative teaching and learning programme.
The Heat Waves project is not only working towards creating a more informed and resilient generation, but also aims to instigate widespread societal change by encouraging discussions, inspiring action, and fostering responsible behaviour towards climate change mitigation and adaptation. The project recognises the urgency of advancing awareness about heatwaves and their far-reaching consequences.
[1] Ballester, J., Quijal-Zamorano, M., Méndez Turrubiates, R.F. et al. “Heat-related mortality in Europe during the summer of 2022”. Nat Med (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02419-z available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02419-z#Abs1
[1] Ballester, J., Quijal-Zamorano, M., Méndez Turrubiates, R.F. et al. “Heat-related mortality in Europe during the summer of 2022”. Nat Med (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02419-z available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02419-z#Abs1
