By The South Asia Times

PARIS/BEIJING -  Europe is grappling with one of its most severe and deadly heatwaves on record, with health officials linking more than 1,300 excess deaths to extreme temperatures since June 21, while China is accelerating the deployment of city-wide cooling technologies to protect residents from increasingly intense summer heat.

The contrast has drawn attention to how countries are adapting to climate change, as Europe struggles with aging infrastructure designed for cooler climates while Chinese cities expand the use of outdoor cooling systems, misting devices and shaded public spaces to reduce heat exposure.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at more than twice the global average. WHO Regional Director Hans Henri P. Kluge said emergency rooms are filling up, ambulance services are facing record demand and heatwaves are no longer rare weather events but recurring public health emergencies.

France has been among the hardest-hit countries. Health authorities reported around 1,000 excess deaths during several days of extreme heat, with the majority of victims aged 65 or older. Hospitals, nursing homes and emergency services have come under significant strain, while officials have also reported dozens of drowning incidents and several child deaths linked to heat exposure.

Across Europe, temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in several countries, forcing school closures, disrupting transport services and placing electricity networks under pressure as demand for cooling surged. Scientists say the exceptional heat has been intensified by human-caused climate change and warn that such events are becoming increasingly frequent.

The WHO estimates that more than 200,000 people have died from heat across the European Union and associated countries over the past four years, with many of those deaths considered preventable through stronger heat-health action plans, improved early warning systems and better urban planning.

One of Europe's biggest challenges is limited access to air conditioning. Only a minority of homes are equipped with cooling systems, and much of the continent's housing, hospitals and public infrastructure were designed to retain heat during cold winters rather than cope with prolonged periods of extreme summer temperatures. Experts say this has left many communities increasingly vulnerable as heatwaves become more intense.

Meanwhile, China has adopted a different approach by investing heavily in urban heat mitigation. In several cities, authorities have expanded the use of large outdoor cooling units, high-pressure misting systems, shaded pedestrian corridors, cooling stations and water-spraying vehicles to reduce ambient temperatures in busy public areas during heatwaves.

Chinese municipalities have also increased tree planting, expanded green spaces and introduced cooling shelters where residents can escape dangerous temperatures. The measures form part of broader efforts to adapt to more frequent and intense heat events linked to climate change.

Climate scientists say both Europe and Asia are facing increasingly severe heat extremes, but their adaptation strategies reflect different levels of preparedness, infrastructure and urban planning.

The WHO has urged governments to strengthen heat-health action plans, expand cooling centers, improve early warning systems and protect vulnerable populations, particularly older adults, children and people with chronic medical conditions.

Experts warn that without accelerated climate adaptation and emissions reductions, extreme heat is likely to become an even greater threat to public health, infrastructure and economies worldwide in the coming decades.