By Gracie Owens

(Dateline – mtm) Standing under the shade of trees and making detours to scattered misting stations, tourists and Praguers (?-mtm)alike appear desperate for a few minutes of relief from the scorching sun. Umbrellas and hand-held fans have become as popular a sight as cameras in Prague’s historic center.

But while visitors look for temporary relief, city planners are trying to solve a much larger problem: how to keep one of Europe’s hottest historic capitals livable as heat waves become more and more frequent. 

“I just stayed inside,” said Krystof (17), a local wine glass vendor, when asked about the heat (not sure you need a timeframe here – mtm). “It was unbearable to be outside.” He chose not to provide a last name. (Why? – mtm)

According to the World Meteorologist Organization, June 2026 was the hottest June recorded for western Europe and the second warmest globally. The capital city of Prague has been historically susceptible to the urban heat island effect, which occurs when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas. 

“The biggest influence,” Nathalie Burdová (27), an environmental scientist at the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) said “it’s the surfaces, it’s the vegetation, and it’s the structure of the city.”  (can you clarify what she means? – mtm)

IPR Prague is the city’s main conceptual workplace for architecture, urbanism, and development. The City of Prague approves and provides funding to the organization for projects, city planning, and data and analysis. In 2025, they released the most current version of the Metropolitan Plan, which aims to prevent uncontrolled expansion by setting clear limits on buildings, protecting existing public spaces and amenities, and proposing new ones that fit the character of individual parts of the city. The document was published at the Center for Architecture and Urban Planning (CAMP).

What makes Prague different from other cities? 

Rather than relying on air conditioning, Prague has taken a different approach. The city has plans to plant thousands of trees, replace impermeable pavement with surfaces that better absorb water, restore parks and courtyards, and design streets to cool neighborhoods naturally. 

The Prague Climate Plan 2030 outlines these implementative measures to improve microclimatic conditions and lessen the impact of extreme hydrological events. Other initiatives include supporting the recycling and reuse of wastewater as well as creating standards for rainwater management. The plan was prepared under the direction of the Committee on Sustainable Energy and Climate and published in October 2021. 

One of the details that makes Prague special is its inner yards. In places of the city where the buildings are built in block formations, you can almost always find either a public green area or an empty space. These areas often include open lawns, tree alleys, nature reserves, or civic parks, many designed with playgrounds, outdoor gyms, picnic areas, and/or walking paths. 

According to VisitCzechia, there is about 180 square meters of green space per person in the Czech capital, making Prague 13th in the world ranking as shown on the Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI). In addition to green spaces designed for every day use, part of this achievement is due to the large number of cemeteries located throughout the city. Cemeteries are densely green and have been proven to be naturally cooler areas on surface temperature maps. 

In 2022, Prague initiated systematic research on climate-resistant trees. Scientists have begun planting different types of trees around the city, introducing species that are more adaptable to the extreme weather conditions in the Czech Republic. 

“We’re getting extreme heat, but we also have really cold months as well,” explains Burdová. “We need to adapt.” 

For example, while an olive tree might be able to withstand the summer heat, they would not be able to survive the extreme cold. Researchers are in the process of finding species that will not only thrive in the current environment, but fit into Prague’s future climate as well.

Local concerns and backlash 

According to the Capital City of Prague, the Adaptation Strategy aims to use natural vegetation patterns to create nature-based solutions that reduce the impacts of climate change, including green walls and green roofs. Green walls act to cool down the inside of buildings, posing as a potential alternative to installing air conditioning units. This is a compromise most environmentally cautious Praguers are willing to make. 

However, green roofs are not always met with so much enthusiasm. Prague’s iconic “sea of red roofs” is a hallmark of the city’s historic skyline that most locals are not ready to see change. This strong public opinion on heritage preservation can make it difficult for the city to implement more progressive projects. 

“It’s hard to call it an issue because we love the city and we want to protect the culture,” Burdová said. “We would hope for better dialogue about it, but on the other hand, we understand.” 

In the long run, tourists and locals alike seem to be adapting just fine 

“The heat’s not a problem for me,” Terry Munn (52), a tourist from Georgia, United States of America said. 

Tourists may only spend a few days navigating Prague’s summer heat. For city planners, however, the challenge stretches decades into the future. As temperatures continue to climb, the success of Prague’s cooling strategies may determine whether one of Europe’s most historic capitals can remain comfortable without sacrificing the character that makes it unique. 

Notes: 

For my next draft, I plan on adding more details to the solutions specific to Prague and evidence to show that they are working. I need to have an answer to the title question. I have another interview on Monday, which should provide some insight to this. I also want to expand the last two sections as neither of them are finished. As of now, I haven’t put together all that evidence and it might require some additional research.

(Strong story with good data and meat to it. – mtm)