LUGIA project has analysed how extreme heat will transform life in HuércalOvera over the next few decades. The study shows that average temperatures have already risen by more than one degree, with periods of over three consecutive months each year in which daily highs exceed 30 °C. Warm nights have doubled since the year 2000, disrupting nighttime rest and increasing health risks. 

Projections indicate that if high emissions continue, HuércalOvera could face over twenty heatwave days annually before 2040, three times the current number. More than 70 % of the population lives in areas with limited vegetation, where heat accumulates, disproportionately impacting vulnerable groups. Satellite imagery shows that paved and densely built-up areas of the urban core reach surface temperatures close to 50 °C, in contrast with vegetated zones that remain much cooler. 

The report calls for moving from diagnosis to action. The next phase will focus on studying trees and green infrastructure to identify species and areas with the highest cooling potential, while designing local adaptation strategies that consider vulnerable populations in relation to green infrastructure to advance climate justice. The experience of HuércalOvera demonstrates that anticipating the future is possible and that science can help cities redesign their future to face rising heat, connecting its local actions to a broader movement of Mediterranean and European cities committed to building urban resilience, and serving as a reference for municipalities aiming to integrate science-based adaptation into urban planning.