As a record-breaking heatwave sweeps across Europe, the stark contrast between national preparedness becomes a deadly lesson in infrastructure resilience. In the United Kingdom, the recently deployed Cool-Zone network has proven its worth, potentially saving hundreds of lives. Meanwhile, France's inadequate response highlights a dangerous gap in climate adaptation.
The UK's Cool-Zone network is a series of climate-controlled public spaces: libraries, community centres, and repurposed shopping centres outfitted with robust air conditioning and emergency medical supplies. Activated when temperatures exceed 30°C, these zones have provided refuge for the elderly, the homeless, and those without home cooling. Data from Public Health England indicates a 35% reduction in heat-related mortality in areas with Cool-Zone coverage compared to the same period last year. “This is a triumph of proactive governance,” says Dr. Helena Vance, Climate Correspondent. “The UK learned from the 2003 heatwave that killed over 2,000 people. Now, they have a functioning system.
But across the Channel, France is struggling. Despite having a national heatwave plan since 2004, its implementation has been piecemeal. Paris, for instance, has only 150 cooling centres for a population of 2.1 million, many located far from vulnerable neighbourhoods. The result is a surge in heatstroke cases and at least 80 confirmed deaths in the past week, with the true number likely higher. The French government's reliance on phone alerts and public messaging has proven insufficient when citizens lack access to cool spaces.
The difference lies not just in infrastructure but in climate adaptation spending. The UK invested £1.2 billion in heat resilience after the 2018 heatwave, including the Cool-Zone network. France allocated only €400 million, primarily for drought preparedness. “Heatwaves are silent killers. They don't destroy buildings, but they destroy bodies,” notes Dr. Vance. “The UK recognised that cooling is a public health utility. France treated it as an afterthought.
Furthermore, the design of urban environments matters. UK Cool-Zones are within 10 minutes' walk for 90% of urban residents, while many French cooling centres require car travel, which is impossible for the elderly without transport. Green spaces, which reduce urban heat island effects, are also patchy in French cities, while UK municipalities have planted thousands of trees since a 2020 mandate.
The economic cost is also devastating. Lost labour productivity from heat in France is estimated at €2 billion this year, compared to €800 million in the UK, partly because British workers can escape to Cool-Zones during peak hours. “This is a preventable disaster,” says Dr. Vance. “Every heatwave death is a failure of planning.
As the planet warms, such events will become routine. The UK model shows that with investment and foresight, we can adapt. France must now play catch-up, but lives are being lost in the meantime. The message is clear: climate adaptation is not optional. It is a life-or-death policy.
Dr. Helena Vance is a Science and Climate Correspondent with a PhD in Astrophysics.
