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This year, European cities have seen searing temperatures for extended spells like never before, reaching the high 30s and low 40s Celsius. Attributed to climate change, these hot spells are likely to become more frequent and more intense in the coming years. Increasing urban heat affects not only on citizen’s health but also the economy.
Recognising that these conditions are the result of climate change, rather than merely erratic occurrences, must be followed by long-term policies to address them. While Paris has Paris Plan Canicule, London has created its own Heat Action Plan 2026. In the Netherlands, sustained heat projections over many days in recent weeks resulted in the heat-related Orange Code plan.
Instead of resorting to the large-scale use of air-conditioners in individual homes, which will only increase heat in public spaces by belching hot air into them, most cities are advocating strategies which will help limit climate change. In Paris, a unique district cooling system pumps cold water from the River Seine through 120 kilometres of underground pipes to cool major public spaces, hospitals and museums.
Many cities are opening up “cool rooms”, which are temporarily repurposed, climate-controlled spaces in community-centres, libraries, museums, town-halls and sports-centres, where the most vulnerable citizens can freely seek comfort.
In cities like Berlin, local authorities operate an interactive city map which directs residents to cooler places in the city, including shaded parks, drinking fountains and misting points. In the Netherlands which has a rich tradition of swimming such “cool maps” direct citizens to safe swimming locations where a dip will cool them down.
Many cities are advocating behavioural change, such as adapting their daily time-tables to adjust to these tropical conditions. Schools start earlier than normal and operate for shorter hours, avoiding peak heat hours. In Germany, some sections of the autobahn have had speed-limits imposed to prevent asphalt from buckling under extreme heat.
In the longterm, expanding the green canopy in cities by planting more trees, creating more water-bodies and reducing concrete and asphalt surfaces in public spaces in favour of water-permeable surfaces can lower ambient temperatures. Barcelona mitigates the urban heat island effect by erecting shading sails and seasonal pergolas in areas where planting trees is not feasible.
Reducing the use of private cars in cities and reducing the area covered by concrete and asphalt, while using these spaces for landscaping, can also help. In the Netherlands, many cities have restricted access to electric vehicles only (not only cars but also trucks). Cooling in buildings is achieved by passive means such as shading, cross-ventilation, and green roofs and walls. Regulatory measures set legally binding carbon-emission targets for new buildings, thereby reducing future urban heat.
It is encouraging to see that most cities in Europe have not opted for the large-scale use of air-conditioning since this will only exacerbate the situation. Most cities are taking both short and long-term measures so that they provide comfort to citizens while reinforcing efforts to mitigate climate change.
The writer is an urban designer, city planner and architect and co-founder of the knowledge platform MyLiveableCity.
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