30 January 2026

As heat waves intensify across Europe, four new policy briefs from the Ready4Heat project offer practical guidance for cities. The briefs translate local pilots from Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Germany into clear recommendations for other municipalities.

In Austria, Weiz shows how renewable-powered cooling can keep indoor spaces safe without driving up energy use. Maribor (Slovenia) demonstrates how simple, nature-based shading improves outdoor comfort for children. Hajdúböszörmény (Hungary) highlights the impact of small “green islands” that make public spaces more usable during extreme heat. Worms (Germany) shows that strong governance, clear roles and targeted communication can boost heat preparedness even with limited budgets.

Together, the outputs underline that effective heat protection relies on good cooperation, clear responsibilities and long-term planning – not just infrastructure.