When temperatures push into the high 30s and 40ºC range, much of Europe tends to slow down, grind to a halt, or struggle to cope. But in Spain, life continues in a way that is now catching the attention of neighbouring France, where officials are reportedly preparing to visit Spain to learn how the country manages extreme heat.

The idea is that Spain could offer practical lessons on adapting to increasingly intense summers, particularly in cities where extreme heat has become a regular feature rather than an exception. At the centre of that interest is Madrid, where even at 40ºC, the city continues to function.

France looks to Spain as heatwaves intensify across Europe

The French government is preparing a study visit to Spain to better understand how public services, infrastructure and daily routines cope with extreme heat. The move reflects growing concern in France about how to adapt to rising temperatures, particularly in urban areas where heatwaves are becoming more disruptive to transport, workplaces and public health systems.

Rather than focusing purely on emergency response, French officials are said to be interested in how Spain has gradually adapted its way of life, from working patterns to public behaviour, in order to function during prolonged periods of extreme heat. Spain, especially cities like Madrid, Sevilla and Córdoba, has long experience of dealing with summer temperatures that regularly exceed 35ºC and often reach or surpass 40ºC.

Madrid’s ability to function in 40ºC heat draws attention

The reference point repeatedly highlighted is Madrid itself, where summer heatwaves are now a familiar part of life rather than an exceptional event. Despite extreme temperatures, the city continues to operate with offices open, public transport running, and daily routines largely maintained, albeit adjusted for the conditions.

Life does not stop during heatwaves; instead, it shifts. That includes later working hours in some sectors, extended evening activity, widespread use of air conditioning in public spaces, and cultural habits such as avoiding peak afternoon heat. It is this combination of infrastructure and lifestyle adjustment that is believed to be attracting international interest.

What France hopes to learn from Spain

The focus is expected to be on practical adaptation strategies, local media reports that French officials want to examine how Spain manages:

• Public health responses during extreme heat 
• Urban planning and cooling strategies in cities 
• Work patterns and labour adjustments during heatwaves 
• Transport and infrastructure resilience 
• Communication with the public during heat alerts 

The aim is not to replicate Spain’s climate or geography, but to understand how systems can remain functional under sustained heat stress. As heatwaves become more common across southern and central Europe, governments are increasingly looking at cross-border learning rather than developing strategies in isolation.

Heatwaves becoming a shared European challenge

The interest from France comes as heatwaves are no longer confined to traditionally hotter southern regions. Countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands have all experienced record-breaking summer temperatures in recent years, leading to increased pressure on hospitals, transport systems and energy grids.

Spain is often viewed as a country that has had longer experience dealing with extreme heat conditions and has gradually built infrastructure and habits around it. This does not mean Spain is unaffected by heatwaves, far from it, but rather that adaptation has become part of everyday life over time.

Why Spain is being used as a reference point

Part of the reason Spain is attracting attention is because of how normalised extreme heat has become in many regions. In cities like Madrid, temperatures above 35ºC are not unusual during summer months, and 40ºC days are increasingly common. Over time, this has influenced how cities operate, from shaded public spaces to adjusted working hours and increased reliance on cooling systems.

A growing change in how Europe prepares for heat

As climate patterns continue to change, European countries are beginning to treat heatwaves with the same seriousness traditionally reserved for cold-weather emergencies. The reported French interest in Spain highlights a wider shift: learning how societies adapt, rather than only how they respond in crisis.

Whether through infrastructure, policy or daily habits, the focus is increasingly on resilience. And for Spain, long used to high summer temperatures, that experience is now being watched more closely than ever by its European neighbours.

Households in Spain facing another season of expensive electricity bills could soon be promised some relief, as the government begins removing a 7 per cent tax on power generation from 2026. The tax is due to disappear by 2028, but the savings may be harder to spot than many households expect.

How Spain’s power tax cut could reach household bills

For anyone living in Spain and already watching the electricity bill before switching on air conditioning, pool pumps, ovens or electric heaters, a tax change buried deep in the energy system could soon make a difference.

The Spanish government has approved the progressive removal of the Impuesto sobre el Valor de la Producción de Energía Eléctrica, known as IVPEE. It is a 7 per cent tax on the value of electricity production, paid by generators rather than directly by households.

That means it is not usually a neat line on a domestic bill. But because generation costs feed into the wider electricity system, the government says removing the tax should help reduce bills for consumers.

Spain’s Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, said the impact would vary depending on the type of consumer, but could reach up to a 6 per cent reduction in the electricity bill.

Why the 7 per cent charge was added before electricity reached homes

The tax dates back to when Spain introduced several energy-related fiscal measures. The IVPEE applied to electricity produced and fed into the Spanish system, including renewable, cogeneration and waste-based production.

At the time, Spain was dealing with the legacy of the so-called tariff deficit, a long-running gap between regulated electricity-system costs and the income collected to cover them.

In simple terms, a cost charged upstream to producers can still influence what ends up being paid by homes, businesses and larger industrial users.

The tax has long been criticised by parts of the energy sector and consumer groups, partly because it affected electricity generation at a time when Spain is trying to encourage more electrification, renewable power and lower dependence on fossil fuels.

How Spain will phase out the electricity generation tax by 2028

The measure forms part of a new government package approved on Monday, June 29, through a royal decree-law. The tax burden will be reduced through 2026 before being cut to 3.5 per cent in 2027 and removed completely in 2028, when the rate is expected to become 0 per cent.

For 2026, the government says previous reductions already applied to the first and second quarters. The new decree-law adds a 30 per cent reduction for the third quarter and a 40 per cent reduction for the fourth quarter.

Officials say the change will mean €315 million in savings for taxpayers in 2026. The government also says the wider reduction and elimination of the tax will add €2.7 billion in fiscal savings during 2027 and 2028.

Why households may not see the same saving at the same time

These tax cuts do not always translate into an identical and immediate fall in every monthly bill. The final price paid by a household in Spain depends on several moving parts, including the electricity contract, consumption, contracted power, wholesale market movements, network charges, VAT, the special electricity tax and the supplier’s own terms.

Those on Spain’s regulated small-consumer tariff, known as Precio Voluntario para el Pequeño Consumidor (PVPC), may see market changes differently from customers on fixed or free-market contracts. Free-market customers may need to wait for renewals or check whether their supplier passes on wider cost reductions.

Spain’s Competition and Markets Regulator already recommends that domestic consumers understand what type of electricity contract they have and compare offers before changing suppliers.

How the tax cut could help businesses, renewables and jobs

The government has also framed the change as a competitiveness measure, especially for electro-intensive industry, meaning businesses whose production costs depend heavily on electricity.

The Minister for Ecological Transition said the tax removal could increase industrial production by €2.6 billion a year and support around 3,700 jobs. She also linked the reform to investment in areas such as renewable hydrogen.

Renewable energy groups had been calling for the tax to be scrapped, arguing that Spain should not penalise electricity generation while trying to move more homes, transport and industry away from fossil fuels.

APPA Renovables, the Spanish renewable energy association, said earlier this year that the tax made electricity more expensive and slowed electrification. The group also argued that Spain was at a disadvantage after Portugal removed a comparable mechanism in the Iberian electricity market.

Why residents should still check the contract before expecting relief

For households in Spain, bills should be checked closely, especially the contract type, renewal date, contracted power and price per kilowatt hour. The tax phase-out is designed to lower pressure in the system, but it does not remove the need to compare tariffs or challenge poor deals.

The decree-law will also have to go through the usual parliamentary validation process for royal decree-laws in Spain. For now, the key dates to watch are the second half of 2026, when the reductions begin to bite, 2027, when the rate is due to fall to 3.5 per cent, and 2028, when the government plans to remove it completely.

Dog lovers will understand the gut-wrenching feeling of discovering their beloved pet has been stolen or gone missing, but imagine dozens disappearing in a single night. That is what police in Valencia province have uncovered after an investigation into suspected drug dealing unexpectedly led to one of the most unusual animal crime cases in the region, involving 44 stolen puppies, 88 valuable racing pigeons and multiple allegations of animal welfare offences.

A 41-year-old man has been arrested in Bétera following a Guardia Civil operation that quickly escalated far beyond its original focus. What began as surveillance linked to suspected drug activity soon revealed a wider pattern of alleged burglaries, stolen animals and illegal activity across several properties. Authorities say many of the animals have now been recovered, although efforts are still ongoing to trace those that remain missing and return them to their rightful owners.

How a drugs investigation uncovered something much bigger

The case did not begin with reports of stolen puppies or racing pigeons. Instead, officers were initially investigating suspected drug trafficking activity in Bétera after receiving intelligence that raised concerns in the area. As the investigation progressed, Guardia Civil teams gathered evidence and carried out searches at two properties linked to the suspect.

What they discovered shifted the entire direction of the operation. Alongside material connected to the original drug inquiry, officers uncovered animals believed to have been taken in separate burglaries, as well as equipment suspected to have been used to support criminal activity, including lock-picking tools, GPS tracking devices and communication systems. The findings allowed investigators to connect several incidents that had previously been treated as separate cases.

44 puppies taken from breeding centre in targeted theft

One of the most significant parts of the investigation involves the theft of 44 puppies of different breeds from a breeding centre in Náquera. The animals are believed to have been taken in a targeted burglary, with an estimated combined value of around €65,000. During the operation, officers recovered five Pomeranian puppies, although authorities have not confirmed the breeds of the remaining animals or how many are still missing.

For breeders, incidents like this go far beyond financial loss. These puppies represent carefully managed breeding programmes, months of care, and in many cases carefully planned litters that are difficult to replace. Investigators are continuing efforts to trace the remaining puppies and determine whether they were moved on or sold after being taken.

Racing pigeons worth tens of thousands also recovered

The same investigation also uncovered the theft of 88 competition racing pigeons and the trailer used to transport them. While they may appear unusual targets, racing pigeons can carry significant financial and emotional value, particularly those used in competition circuits where breeding lines and performance records determine their worth. Police estimate the pigeons and trailer were valued at around €80,000.

Officers have since recovered 84 of the birds, with a small number still unaccounted for as enquiries continue. For owners, racing pigeons are often the result of years of training and selective breeding, making their recovery a priority for investigators.

Further disturbing discoveries during searches

As searches continued at properties linked to the suspect, officers uncovered further concerning findings that broadened the scope of the investigation. Among the discoveries were three greyhounds being kept in appalling welfare conditions and five cockerels allegedly intended for use in illegal cockfighting activity.

Investigators also seized a range of equipment, including night vision devices, GPS trackers, communications tools, a drone, and various tools commonly associated with forced entry such as lock-picking kits. Authorities believe the combination of items suggests a level of organisation that extends beyond isolated thefts.

Suspect already wanted on outstanding warrants

The 41-year-old man arrested in Bétera is now facing multiple allegations, including three burglaries, drug trafficking offences and eight animal welfare-related charges. Officials also confirmed that he was already subject to two outstanding arrest warrants at the time of his arrest.

The investigation has been led by the Guardia Civil’s Equipo Territorial de Policía Judicial de Llíria (Judicial Police Team), who continue to analyse evidence gathered during the operation.

Animals being returned as investigation continues

While the operation has already led to the recovery of dozens of animals, the investigation is still ongoing. Officers are continuing efforts to locate the remaining stolen puppies and racing pigeons, while also assessing whether additional thefts or related offences may be linked to the suspect.

Recovered animals are being identified and prepared for return to their owners where possible, although some may require additional verification depending on breeding records and documentation.

For those affected, the arrests mark an important breakthrough after what is believed to have been a series of coordinated thefts. The Guardia Civil has not ruled out further developments as investigators continue piecing together the full scale of the alleged criminal activity uncovered during what began as a routine drugs investigation.