FRANCE recently saw temperatures cross 40 degrees Celsius. As extreme heat gripped the country, people panicked. Trying to beat the heat, many drowned while taking a dip in canals and rivers. Unable to maintain bearable temperatures inside, thousands of schools and other public facilities shut down. Living spaces, transit stations and healthcare facilities in French cities are designed to manage extreme cold, and not extreme heat. Small windows and the absence of domestic cooling appliances such as fans have made living conditions even more unbearable in summer.

The outdoors is not hospitable either in the blistering heat. With the sun rising in Paris at about 5.45 am and setting at 10 pm, exposure to the heat has been truly extensive. In this chaos, solutions such as the installation of air conditioners are being pushed. However, experts believe this is not a holistic solution. Cities in Europe and elsewhere must redesign their built environment to keep pace with the growing impact of climate change.

Climate predictions for Pakistan indicate that life in many of our cities will become increasingly difficult, too, as heat levels turn unbearable. Jacobabad, Larkana, Sibi, Turbat, Multan, Karachi........

© Dawn