Europe swelters: how to live with prolonged heatwaves?
Another heatwave is making its way northwards from southern Europe at the moment. Spain and France are registering temperatures of more than 40 degrees, and Central Europe is also approaching these levels. Commentators discuss how society and the economy can adapt to such extreme weather conditions.
Society must reorganise to adjust
Adapting to high temperatures is becoming a Herculean task, Libération stresses:
“Those on holiday can stay in the shade, but people who work in construction, bars, restaurants, or in the fields are finding it increasingly hard to cope with the heat. Since these heatwaves are set to become the norm, society as a whole must reorganise. ... Starting with working hours and conditions. ... The French railway company SNCF decided to cancel trains in the south due to the heatwave, leaving thousands of people in the lurch. This gives us an an idea of the immense challenge that lies ahead for us and above all for future generations.”
Create more climate-adapted spaces
El País expresses concern about city dwellers facing extreme temperatures:
“Almost 80 percent of the Spanish population live in cities whose planning did not take into account that the heat might one day make them uninhabitable. ... The urban population is de facto living under house arrest. ... 33.6 percent of households, in particular low-income households, have no access to cooler temperatures in summer. The only alternative is shopping malls. We need a far bolder policy when it comes to establishing climate-adapted public spaces, which 36 of the 52 regional capitals lack. ... Any new urban project that does not take account of this new reality must be rejected from the outset.”
Sensible AC settings needed
Sitting in a café in Barcelona, editor Silvia Colomé complains about the cold rather than the heat in La Vanguardia:
“I'm writing this column wearing a cardigan and with goose bumps. ... Before my fingers freeze up, I keep asking myself the same question people often ask: do air conditioning systems really have to be set so low? The debate about air conditioning setting has been a key topic of conversation in lifts for some time now. ... Experts advise setting appliances to a maximum of six to eight degrees below room temperature to avoid a thermal shock. It's unusual for the body to go to this extreme, but lots of people are suffering from colds and sore throats at the moment. A little cool air is of course welcome, but in moderation, for our own good and to minimise the impact on the environment.”