What Europe can learn from the Gulf about surviving extreme heat

DOHA - While temperatures in the Gulf regularly climb above 40 deg C in June, commuters waiting for the bus in Doha do so from the cool comfort of air-conditioned shelters.

In Dubai, delivery drivers drop into air-conditioned rest stations for a break during the hottest parts of the day, and in Riyadh often the best place for a walk or a jog is the local shopping mall.

As Europe sweats and struggles in the grip of a heatwave, what can Europeans learn from the Gulf, one of the hottest places on Earth?

Air conditioning has shaped modern life in the Gulf since it first arrived in the 1930s.

Powered by the region’s hydrocarbon wealth, the technology spread from oil company compounds and government buildings into homes and, eventually, throughout daily life.

According to a 2025 report by the International Energy Agency, 80 per cent of households in Gulf countries own an air conditioner, and AC accounts for around half of peak electricity demand across the Middle East and North Africa.

Despite outdoor temperatures pushing higher than 50 deg C at the peak of summer, Dubai opened an indoor ski slope in 2005 and later welcomed a family of penguins to live there.

Qatar has the world’s longest air-conditioned outdoor track, a 1km path at a park in a Doha suburb.

The UAE and Qatar use outdoor air-conditioned areas at many tourist attractions and shopping areas.

Before Qatar’s 2022 World Cup was moved to winter months, the Gulf emirate was criticised for proposing the use of air conditioning in its open-air stadiums in the summer months.

Saudi Arabia, due to hold the football competition in 2034, has also promised climate-controlled stadiums in its bid.

International campaigners have criticised air conditioning as damaging to the environment, arguing that it also increases reliance on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change.

But in the Gulf, it is widely accepted as a necessity with few practical alternatives.

The Gulf’s futuristic cities have developed in the era of air conditioning, but traditional building styles were developed to maximise natural cooling effects.

Typically, buildings were constructed with thick mud walls that would slowly absorb heat, and would often include cooling central courtyards to facilitate the movement of air.

In crowded neighbourhoods, narrow streets would be shaded from direct sunlight and the breeze would be funnelled through their alleyways.

Mashrabiya latticework windows, which increase shade and allow natural ventilation, can be seen across the Gulf and wider Middle East.

Among the most distinctive features of Gulf architecture, originating in modern-day Iran, are wind towers known as barjeel.

The tall, chimney-like towers pull fresh air into buildings and allow hot air to ventilate out through large vertical slots.

They can be seen recreated in Doha and Dubai.

Gulf inhabitants maximise their daily routines to avoid the hottest parts of the day – often starting early or working late into the night.

Dubai and Doha have opened beaches at night in recent years.

In Riyadh, authorities are pinning their hopes on the “Green Riyadh” project, which aims to plant 7.5 million trees and create thousands of parks by 2030.

Officials estimate that this extensive greening programme could lower the ambient temperature by one or two degrees centigrade.

The multi-billion-dollar project will require one million cubic metres of water every day, which they promise will be recycled through an underground irrigation system.

Rights groups have criticised the Gulf states for exposing the millions of migrant workers they rely on – mostly from India and Pakistan – to extreme heat, and urged countries to extend protections for labourers.

In response, several Gulf countries have implemented mandatory midday work breaks during summer, prohibiting outdoor work under direct sunlight in open areas during the hottest hours of the day.

These bans generally apply from June through August or September.

Delivery drivers, often among the most marginalised in Gulf societies, have also been offered protections.

Across the UAE, more than 10,000 air-conditioned rest stations allow delivery riders to cool off during mandatory midday breaks.

In Qatar, deliveries must be completed by drivers in cars during peak hours.

The Gulf men’s traditional thobe – in the modern era usually immaculately white and pressed – is designed to reflect sunlight and, loose fitting, allows the movement of air.

Their distinctive head covering, the ghutra, provides protection from direct sun.

Traditional Gulf dress is not an option for everyone, however, and many residents instead carry a reflective parasol when venturing out into the summer sun. AFP