U.N. global chief heat officer warns of the acute dangers of rising temperatures in cities

2023-07-31T15:40:00-04:00

Rising temperatures and increasingly frequent heat waves driven by climate change are turning many Mediterranean cities into dangerous places, especially for vulnerable groups. “We are not focusing enough on how extreme temperatures affect urban environments,” says Eleni Myrivili, who has spent years studying this issue in her hometown of Athens, which is one of the cities hardest hit by rising temperatures.

Amid devastating wildfires and record-breaking numbers of heat-related casualties throughout the Mediterranean region, Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS sits down with Eleni Myrivili, chief heat officer of Athens (Europe's first such municipal appointment) and also global chief heat officer to U.N. Habitat, to learn which concrete design and policy strategies can improve urban live in cities and help protect especially the most vulnerable groups.

Myrivili isn't holding back harsh criticism when she comments on an example of public urban design she deems inadequate for today's challenges — Madrid's Puerta del Sol square — saying, "Today, It is criminal to build squares without shade or cooling elements, because they create higher temperatures in the city, put people’s lives at risk and keep people away from public space."

Speaking also to The Guardian recently, Myrivili remarked on the increasing challenges of heat in cities and the built environment: "People are just starting to realize th...

Archinect - News

U.N. global chief heat officer warns of the acute dangers of rising temperatures in cities