France announces €500M plan for ‘islands of freshness’ as heatwave strikes

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - France on Tuesday announced a fund of 500 million euros for the development of “islands of freshness” to beat the oncoming heat wave and fight climate change.

“A program for the renaturation of towns, city centers, will be launched with a fund of 500 million euros,” government spokesperson Olivia Gregoire told a press conference after the council of ministers meeting.

The government will also co-finance alongside local authorities anti-heat initiatives such as “islands of freshness.” These micro-oasis are vegetated areas, installed in urban areas to provide citizens refrain from the heated temperatures.

France is set to experience an early and unprecedented heat wave this week with temperatures expected to soar between 34 and 40 degrees Celsius in the country's south.

A weather depression will bring in hot-air from the north Africa starting Tuesday and the peak intensity is expected between Thursday and Saturday, the weather bureau said.

Although heat waves are becoming a regular feature in France and Europe – there have been 43 heat waves in France since 1947 – the weather service said this is the earliest date for the setting of hot temperatures in June.

"This remarkable heat wave could become the earliest on record since the beginning of measurements in 1947 at the national level (precedents in 2017 and in 2005 with start dates of June 18)," a statement from the weather service said.

The government has urged people to maintain vigilance and instructed all state services to ensure that the various shelter and support systems are operational, starting tomorrow, Gregoire said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said her Cabinet was “fully mobilized to ensure the protection of the most fragile French people.” She will hold a meeting with the mayors and the regional health service to monitor the arrangements.