Adapting to Rising Temperatures: Parisians adopt water cooling method to battle heat waves

World
Europe

Temperatures in France reached a record high of over 45 degrees Celsius in June. And climate change means summer heat waves are becoming increasingly normal, forcing residents and city authorities to rethink the way people live. Elena Casas reports from Paris.

In June, France sizzled during its hottest week on record - good news for tourists, schoolchildren who got extra time off and the air conditioning business.

GILLES BOURQUIN, OWNER CLIMDENFERT AIR CONDITIONING "We've seen a 30 percent rise compared to a normal June, and 10 percent more than last year's heatwave; we've been seeing a constant rise for two or three years, not so much from offices and hotels since they already have it, but from individuals."

In the US, about 90 percent of households have air conditioning - in France, it's 4 percent.

Europeans have traditionally often thought it was unhealthy - now, they're also concerned about the energy air conditioning consumes.

ELENA CASAS PARIS "Historic buildings are protected by a French planning law that bans air conditioning units - in Paris, that's most residential buildings. Rather than changing the rules, the city is seeking to discourage people, saying air conditioning is too polluting."

This is one alternative - the Climespace network pumps water out of the Seine, cools it to 3 degrees and pumps it into the walls of around 700 buildings, including the Paris Ritz and the Louvre, meaning they don't use air conditioning at all.

The water goes back into the river, not wasting a drop.

STEPHANE THIBAUT HEAD OF ENERGY PRODUCTION, CLIMESPACE "We use half as much electricity as traditional air conditioning, so this project is important in reducing the city's carbon emissions."

The water is also pumped into smart benches like this one, keeping them cool in the heat.

MAXIME BOUCAUD PROJECT LEADER, CLIMESPACE "This is all part of the city of Paris' plan to adapt the city's infrastructure to help the population cope with more and more intense episodes of hot weather."

Urbanization concentrates heat, so on a hot day, it can be up to ten degrees warmer in Paris than in the surrounding countryside.

The city is also planning to plant more trees and increase green space by 40% by 2050 - aiming to keep Parisians cool while the temperature rises, without further warming the planet.

Elena Casas, CGTN, Paris.