Paris Faces Threat of 50°C Heat Waves by 2050

According to a recent report, Paris could face scorching 50°C (122°F) heat waves by the end of the century, or even as soon as 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise exponentially. City officials have been conducting crisis simulations to prepare for such extreme heat, which they say is no longer a "science fiction" scenario.

The simulations have revealed that Paris is highly vulnerable to the cascading effects of extreme heat, with the potential for widespread infrastructure failures. Melting asphalt, overloaded power grids, and malfunctioning air conditioning systems in hospitals and schools could all contribute to a domino effect of crises. Officials warn that if one critical service is disrupted, it could have rippling consequences across the city, leaving nurses, firefighters, and other essential workers unable to reach their jobs.

Experts say Paris is particularly ill-equipped to handle such heat due to its high population density, outdated buildings, and abundance of heat-absorbing surfaces like stone and asphalt. The city has already experienced record-breaking temperatures in recent years, with eight of the 10 hottest summers on record occurring since 2015.

In response, the city government has been working to adapt, doubling down on tree-planting, installing more shade structures, and increasing efforts to insulate buildings. However, the scale of the challenge is daunting, with over one million private apartments in Paris that lack proper insulation. As one official put it, "It's a race against time" to prepare for the climate extremes that lie ahead.