Mayors from Paris, Milan, and Phoenix convened in London this summer to share strategies for managing extreme heat. This comes as temperatures broke records across the UK and Europe, leading to the suspension or cancellation of some climate talks.
Across Europe, more than 14,000 people died due to heat this summer. Cities are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat because buildings, roads, and pavements absorb heat during the day and release it at night, offering residents no respite.
Phoenix, Arizona, which has decades of experience with extreme heat, has established a city office dedicated to heat response and mitigation. Its measures include requiring 75% shade coverage in new developments with high pedestrian activity and providing a 24-hour cooling centre. During the summer of 2024, Phoenix's coordinated heat response measures were associated with a 20% year-over-year decline in heat-related 911 calls.
European cities are adapting to hotter summers. Paris has created over 1,400 'cool spots', such as parks and public facilities, ensuring every Parisian lives within a seven-minute walk of one. Milan is expanding its 'Piazze Aperte' (Open Squares) and School Streets programmes to integrate cool spaces by planting trees and replacing hard surfaces with permeable green areas.