So, what action can be taken to help protect children in schools? A vast European project is currently looking into the matter.

Over three years, a European research project plans to look at the development of so-called ‘climate shelters’ in school playgrounds.

The “COOLSCHOOLS” project brings together several partners, including European city councils, universities, research centres, social associations and cooperatives, and international organisations.

Coordinated by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), the project is being carried out in four European cities: Barcelona, Brussels, Paris and Rotterdam.

The objective of this field study is to combine natural, biomedical and social sciences with education. The project has funding of more than €1.5 million for the next three years.

“Starting this research will enable us to evaluate aspects such as the relationship between greening spaces in playgrounds and the students’ cognitive development, the increase in pollinating insects, and the access to and use of these climate shelters by the community,” environmental scientist and project leader, Isabel Ruiz Mallén, said in a statement.

In the specific case of Barcelona, located in the Mediterranean, one of the areas most affected by climate change, one of the priorities will be to find solutions to deal with the effects of rising temperatures and increasingly frequent heat waves.

This could mean, for example, extending green spaces or installing water fountains in playgrounds.

According to the UOC, Isabel Ruiz Mallén emphasised that “the idea is to consolidate spaces in which students can ‘learn and feel comfortable’ in a context of rising temperatures, and to minimise the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on these educational environments.”

Other types of initiatives will also be undertaken, such as the improvement of playgrounds, better access to water, and the use of more sustainable furniture.