Climate Change: How cities are tackling rising heat

Cities are tackling rising heat – but they have to avoid a dangerous trap | Extreme heat | The Guardian

Cities are tackling growing heat – but they have to avoid a dangerous trap With modern solutions such as air-con aggravating the problem, ancient heat-management techniques can offer answers The Guardian

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Cities are not just where the rapid heating of our planet is highest, owing to the concentrating effect of concrete and asphalt and the relative lack of natural cooling factors such as lakes, soil or shade. They are also where our increasingly urban species will have to face it. So the architects, planners and politicians who serve those cities are seeking ways to either reduce or mitigate that heat, such as the qanat cool water beneath the streets of Seville.

 

How does today’s extreme heat compare with Earth’s past climate?

 

Some cities now offer cooling centres, where you can escape the heat, though most people do not want to use them on a regular basis. There are policy changes that can help: laws protecting workers, heatwave response plans, and spatial mapping that can identify the hottest parts of a city.