How Paris is preparing for a 50 degree heat wave

Western Europe experienced an unprecedented heat wave this summer. One after the other the temperature records were broken. This is one of the visible effects of global warming, the consequences of which will continue to worsen in the years to come. ,It is neither prediction, nor intuition, nor hypothesis. We are in a new climate regime in which some are already suffering, and which will only get worse.” The city’s chosen environmentalist explained to Le Monde newspaper, ,If nothing is done, the question of the ability to stay in Paris in the medium term arises.”

This is why the city of Paris wants to take effective measures to prevent future heat waves. Thus, the French capital will begin its “Paris 50 °C” operation during the month of October. The operation involves submerging two districts of the same district (which is yet to be defined) in a hypothetical heat wave scenario.

“This exercise will simulate a heat wave that we have not experienced yet, and with a heat dome phenomenon at 50 °C”, detailed Penélope Comités, Deputy Mayor of Paris, to our colleagues in Paris. It aims to test systems deployed by the City of Paris: “For example, mobile foggers, cooled rooms or even shedhouses.”

But another objective of the operation is to observe the reaction of the residents of the districts: “Crisis, we survived them, but they could happen again”assistant continues, “And even if the future is associated with concerns, this resilience strategy should not be worrying.”