health
24-hour parks and alcohol bans: what cities could learn from Paris’s ‘heatwave mode’
Following a devastating heatwave in 2003 that killed 15,000, France has adopted four alert levels to help people cope with extreme temperatures
TL;DR
- France uses a four-alert-level system, with 'red' being the highest, to manage heatwaves.
- The system was implemented after a 2003 heatwave caused approximately 15,000 deaths.
- Paris is keeping parks open around the clock and establishing 'cool islands' (air-conditioned public buildings) for public refuge.
- Temporary measures during the current heatwave include an alcohol ban in public spaces during a music festival and the cancellation of some outdoor sporting events.
- Long-term efforts to cool the city include increasing green spaces, misting machines, and water fountains.