Temperatures hit exceptional levels last Summer, especially in Northern Europe, with severe consequences on health and well-being. Such events are likely to be more frequent as global temperatures are rising. According to the latest IPCC SR1.5 report, at +1.5°C, twice as many megacities as present are likely to become heat stressed.

Many municipalities have already started to take measures. They range from urban infrastructure, such as reducing sealed surfaces and making space for green and blue infrastructure, or cooling by water sprays and wetting streets, to warning mechanisms for the population, and measures to ensure access to water and shading. Such actions require serious planning, as well as a serious monitoring of weather conditions and vulnerable populations. This webinar will give an insight of the solutions and strategies already in place in Paris and Barcelona.

Agenda

5’ Welcome and Introduction - Claire Baffert, Covenant of Mayors Office

20’ Cooling the metropolis: A panorama of water-based solutions in Paris

Noémie Fompeyrine, Deputy Chief Resilience Officer, City of Paris

20’ Preventing excessive heat in Barcelona: a focus on green infrastructure, measures on buildings and information to citizens

Irma Ventayol i Ceferino, Urban ecologist, Office of Sustainability, City of Barcelona

15’ Q&A

References

Paris Resilience strategy (English): https://filer.paris.fr/parisfr/180820_English%20Version_1%20page%20cont…

Paris Resilience strategy (French): https://api-site-cdn.paris.fr/images/95335

Paris “oasis courtyard” programme (English): https://www.paris.fr/actualites/les-cours-oasis-une-reponse-aux-defis-d…

Paris “oasis courtyard” programme (French): http://www.100resilientcities.org/paris-schoolyards/

Paris guidebook on implementation of rainwater planning: https://api-site-cdn.paris.fr/images/99425

Barcelona Climate Plan, line of action 3: http://bit.ly/2z6xCoe

European Environmental Agency: http://bit.ly/2PY96zm