What measures are being taken to protect people from extreme heat where you live?
The following contribution has been automatically translated from ES.
Hello. I was born and lived for 56 years in north-eastern Mexico, near the border with Texas, in an extremely hot climate (temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius from May to September), with dry, desert-like air. Something that works very well for us is planting trees that are well-adapted to the local environment; these usually have very deep roots. Primary school timetables change in the summer; sports competitions always start at sunset (roughly between 6.00 pm and 7.00 pm), and almost everything comes to a standstill between 2.00 pm and 5.00 pm, as the sun’s rays are dangerous and care must be taken to avoid heatstroke. Those who have no choice but to work outdoors during these difficult hours dress very much like the Bedouins, There, water is very, very precious; which makes me want to cry here when I see it being wasted on a massive scale. God willing, we’ll never run out of it. As the saying goes, ‘You don’t know what you’ve got until you’ve lost it.’ One way or another, you can live with intense heat, but NOT without water, My proposal to local, regional and federal governments is this: save the water that still remains; build dams. The Swiss are a very intelligent people – inventors, creators and winners of many Nobel Prizes – and they enjoy the privilege of direct democracy; they always propose solutions in the short term and do not put things off until tomorrow. There is no longer time for debate; urgent action is needed. Support the institutions researching how to conserve water and how to generate it. Review the international treaties under which we share water with other countries. The drinking fountains throughout our cities must have taps, so that water is not wasted all the time, but only when someone needs a drink. Water features in playgrounds should teach the younger generation how to use water wisely, whilst also being a fun activity for children. Water is life; let’s look after it.
Hola. Yo Naci y vivi 56 años en el noreste de Mexico, cerca de la frontera con Texas en un clima por demas extremo caliente (Mayo a Septiembre temperaturas alrededor de 40 Celsius), Aire seco, desertico. Algo que nos funciona muy bien son el sembrar arboles adaptables al medio ambiente local, normalmente son de raices muy profundas. Los horarios de las escuelas elementales cambian en Verano, las competencias deportivas, se inician siempre en el ocaso (Mas o menos entre 18:00 y 19:00), casi todo se paraliza de entre las 14:00 a las 17:00, Pues la radiacion solar es peligrosa y se requiere poner atencion en los golpes de calor, Los que no tiene opcion y deben trabajar a la interperie en horarios dificiles, visten muy similar a los beduinos, Alla el agua es muy pero muy preciada, cosa que aqui me dan ganas de llorar cuando veo que la desperdician al por mayor, Dios quiera que nunca nos llegue a faltar, Como se dice, “ nadie sabe lo que tiene, Hasta que lo ve perdido”De alguna u otra forma se puede vivir con mucho calor, Pero NO sin agua, Mi propuesta a los gobiernos Locales, Regionales y Federal, Es; Salven el agua que aun existe, Construyan presas, Los Suizos son personas muy inteligentes, Inventores, creadores y dueños de muchos Nobel y del privilegio de tener una democracia directa y que siempre proponen en corto plazo y no lo dejan para mañana, Ya no hay tiempo para discutir, Urgen acciones, Apoyen a las instituciones que estudien como salvar el agua, como generarla, Revisen los tratados internacionales en el que compartimos agua con otros paises, Las fuentes que proporcionan agua para beber en toda las ciudades, deben de tener grifo, es decir que no se este desperdiciando el agua todo el tiempo, solo cuando alguien requiera beber, El agua en los parques infantiles deberia mostrar como hacer buen uso del agua a las nuevas generaciones, A nuestra niñez y que al mismo tiempo sea un juego infantil, El agua es Vida, Cuidemosla.
F
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
Anyone who attended a private school in the 90s was able to provide well for themselves. Suitable properties are simply hard to come by. I’ve been looking for 10 years. Anyone who didn’t take this seriously will find themselves in a difficult position today. Buildings from the 1990s are now uninhabitable. I lived in one myself for 14 years. From the sweltering office, into the even hotter car, rushing to the uncooled supermarket and then into the overheated flat, where the heat remained trapped for weeks on end. Then, when the tap water on the 8th floor stopped getting cold at all… I moved to 600 metres above sea level. Today, 14 years later, I’m still having tropical nights here too. So far this year, I’ve needed a portable air conditioner three times to get rid of the humid air. Within a 100-km radius, I can’t see any active measures being taken whatsoever. Quite the opposite. Out of sheer hysteria, healthy trees are being felled, thereby eliminating even the last remnants of shade. Benches, where they exist, stand in the blazing sun and are made of polished stainless steel. I could barely manage to take my elderly parents out for a walk. Today I’m ‘chained’ to my cool home myself.__At least that’s something. The rest isn’t my problem. Today’s generation has simply drawn different conclusions from what they’ve learnt than I have. What can one do about it? Especially when you make up just 50 per cent or less of the population and inherit this built environment. I always recommend discussion groups with advisers. That helps pass the time, too. I quite enjoy watching it on the projector. It does shine at me sometimes, but at least it doesn’t give off any heat.
Wer in den 90ern eine private Schule besucht hat, war in der Lage für sich selbst gut vorzusorgen. Adäquate Objekte sind ganz einfach schwer zu finden. Ich habe 10 Jahre lang gesucht. Wer das nicht ernst genommen hat, wird sich heute schwer tun. Die Bausubstanz der 90er Jahre ist heute unbewohnbar. Ich habe selbst 14 Jahre darin gewohnt. Vom heissen Büro, ins noch heissere Auto, zum ungekühlten Supermarkt hetzen und dann in die überhitzte Wohnung, wo die Hitze noch weitere Wochen darin gefangen war. Als dann das Leitungswasser im 8. Stock überhaupt nicht mehr kühl wurde…. zog ich auf 600m Seehöhe. Heute 14 Jahre später habe ich auch hier tropische Nächte. Bis jetzt habe ich heuer 3x eine mobile Klimaanlage gebraucht um feuchte Luft abzutransportieren. Im Umkreis von 100 km kann ICH keinerlei aktive Maßnahmen erkennen. Im Gegenteil. Aus Hysterie werden gesunde Bäume geschlägert und damit das letzte Resterl Schatten auch noch wegzurationalisieren. Sitzbänke, falls vorhanden stehen in der prallen Sonne und sind aus poliertem Edelstahl. Ich konnte meine alten Eltern kaum zum Gassi ausführen. Heute bin ich selbst daheim und im Kühlen ‘angekettet’.__Immerhin. Der Rest ist nicht mein Problem. Die heutige Generation hat halt andere Schlüsse aus dem Gelernten gezogen als ich. Was soll man da machen? Noch dazu wenn man gerade einmal 50% oder weniger Bevölkerungsanteil ausmacht und diese Bausubstanz erbt. Ich empfehle immer Diskussionskreise mit Beratern. Da vergeht die Zeit auch. Ich schau das ganz gerne mit dem Beamer. Der strahlt mich zwar manchmal an, aber er heizt nicht.
SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@Funzeli
Hello, may I ask which country you live in? Are there any measures being discussed in politics where you live? What do you think would make the situation better
SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@Funzeli
Hello, may I ask which country you live in? Are there any measures being discussed in politics where you live? What do you think would make the situation better
O
Such an advanced country in many aspects, and so retrograde in many others. Switzerland doesn't believe, so it seems by her actions (or inactions, I should say) that global warming is here to stay. Maybe death by heat exhaustion hasn't reached high enough levels for the government to act. I just finished my week working with 29 celsius in the office. Is that even legally allowed? Just imagine working in winter, in hospitals, offices and so on , with 15 degrees or less. That would be a crime against humanity, an undeniable right not fulfilled, a violation of basic needs. Well, all living creatures have a biological thermostat thay makes us work at top efficiency within a narrow range. Too low temps are detrimental, too high temps......, well, ask your government if he knows the answer.__I constantly hear that the costs are too high, that it puts a strain on the energy grid. Heating is also very costly, especially when you heat every single standing building in the country, apartments, houses, offices, etc. Should we stop that? Ahh, sorry, it is crime. Listen Switzerland, a quick, partial solution to the problem, stop running heating in the transition months of September and May, wear some warm clothing if needed, and the energy saved in these two months, use it to cool down hospitals, schools, etc in July and August.__My suggestion:__1) Authorities need to wake up. Recognize the problem. Acknowledge the irreversible weather patterns.__2) If we are so innovative as a country, let address the issue and propose real, tangible solutions for tomorrow, not the next decade Dont wait until somebody else come up with something.__3) Be happy when the new policies bring general wellbeing, and extend life expectancy of many.
J
In many places, there is central district cooling, akin to district heating, which reduces energy use significantly compared to individual AC units. It would be good to install it in Swiss cities.
SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@Jorg Hiker
That does sound interesting! May I ask where you live? How does the district cooling work where you live
J
@Isabelle Bannerman
I spent some time in Singapore. I never cared how my AC works, only the heat seems more manageable at the Equator, than in a Swiss city. I am sure you can find plenty of technical advice elsewhere, district cooling is widespread worldwide.
M
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
In my local authority of Egg/ZH, the local council doesn’t want to do anything about the heat. In response to my letter, I received appalling and baffling replies.__I would now have to lodge a complaint with the Uster District Council if anything is to be done at all. __During the last elections, the candidates hypocritically told the public that they relied on expertise from the people, and that this was the only way Egg could be a happy place – or, better still, a place worth living in. Now that they’ve been elected… the hypocrisy is over; all that matters now are party interests.__I didn’t vote for any of the candidates back then and, knowing full well what I was doing, left my ballot paper blank.
In meiner Gemeinde Egg/ZH, will der Gemeinderat nichts gegen Hitze tun. Auf mein Schreiben hin, erhielt ich schreckliche und irritierende Antworten.__Ich müsste jetzt eine Beschwerde beim Bezirksrat Uster einreichen, wenn irgend etwas noch geschehen sollte. __Bei den letzten Wahlen haben die Kandidaten den Bürger geheuchelt, man sei auf jede Expertise aus dem Volk angewiesen, nur so könne Egg fröhlich oder noch besser lebenswert sein. Gewählt ... ist fertig mit Heuchelei, jetzt gelten nur noch Parteiinteressen.__Ich habe damals keinen der Kandidaten gewählt und meinen Zettel, wohlwissend, leer eingelegt.
V
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.
With a new heatwave on the horizon, I’m still waiting for the local councillors in the town where I live as a single elderly person to reach out and ask how I’m coping with the extreme heat, for example to offer advice on staying hydrated and eating well, or perhaps just to give me a ring every now and then…
A l’aube d’une nouvelle vague de chaleur annoncée j’attends toujours un geste d’élus de la commune où je vis senior seule, pour s’enquérir de la manière dont je fais face aux grandes chaleurs, p.e. Pour donner des conseils en matière d’hydratation et d’alimentation, ou par un appel de temps à autre…
V
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.
As far as I know, nothing has been done. I’m a senior citizen and I live on my own. As well as the heat, my neighbourhood is currently experiencing major roadworks and all sorts of disruptions. On 20, 21 and 22 July, access to our doors will be blocked to vehicles due to road resurfacing, and I had to ring the local council’s works department to find out whether they’d considered how the emergency services would be able to get through.
A ma connaissance rien n’est fait. Je suis senior et je vis seule. Mon quartier en plus de la chaleur subit de grand travaux routiers et des coupures de toutes sortes. Les 20, 21,22 juillet l’accès à nos portes sera bloqué aux véhicules pour enrobage de chaussée et j’ai dû appeler les travaux publics pour savoir si ils avaient pensé comment des secours pourraient arriver
J
After reading the comments, I feel the most important measure abroad is **efficient local government** that can actually act, and **a public debate system that actually enables change** without being derailed by protests and blockages. The Swiss debate on adaptation to warmer summers is uncannily similar to debates about modernizing roads, and others. From the start, every action will get blocked when it affects anything beyond a single apartment or house. Unfortunately, weather has no mercy for the problems of social debate, so either the reality of public debate will adapt, or city centres in Switzerland will become unliveable, and human activity will shift elsewhere.
J
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.
It’s true, this heat is stifling. Especially in the cities, where concrete reigns supreme, with vast concrete pavements devoid of greenery, and flats not even fit for rabbits. But those who complain the most are, of course, those in the service sector, with their flexible working hours, who can work themselves to the bone in the middle of the afternoon on their CHF 8,000 bikes. Teachers, who, with their fabulous timetables, are already on holiday, . On the other hand, the workers in the trenches, on the rooftops, the farmers tending the fodder on the slopes or putting up fences in the mountain pastures – it is they who really have cause to complain. But the ‘caviar Left’ and the PLR don’t pay them much attention.
C'est vrai, cette chaleur est étouffante. Surtout dans les villes, où règne le béton, les immenses trottoirs bétonnés, sans verdure, les appartement même pas dignes de cases à lapins. Mais, ceux qui se plaignent le plus, c'est bien le secteur tertiaire , avec des horaires allégés, qui peuvent en plein après-midi se fatiguer à fond sur leurs vélos à CHF 8000.-. Le corps enseignant, qui avec des horaires fables sont déjà en vacances, . Par contre, les ouvriers dans les tranchées, sur les toits , les paysans qui travaillent les fourrages dans les pentes, ou clôturent dans les alpages , c'est bien ceux-ci qui pourraient se plaindre . Mais la Gauche caviar et le PLR, ne les écoutent pas beaucoup.
J
Singapore can serve as an example to follow. It has rebuilt large areas with more green space and greater comfort, thanks to modern high-rise buildings. Overall, many other cities in Asia and the Arab Gulf offer ready examples of how to create modern, comfortable cities adapted to high temperatures. In Europe, air conditioning remains rare, also in public spaces. Swiss cities face particular disadvantages because their centuries-old buildings have thick walls and practically no green spaces, while NIMBY mentality paralyzes urban redevelopment—for instance, preventing taller buildings paired with parks on newly available land. In general, Europe and Switzerland have lost at least 10 years in climate adaptation. Everyone witnessed rising temperatures and the world's unwillingness to reduce CO₂ emissions, yet a toxic combination of fantasy environmentalism—the belief that climate change can be reversed—and inefficient governance have stalled change.
I am appalled at the Swiss government s stubborn stance on air conditioning. For a country that is so advanced on many levels, it's hard to understand why after years of successive heatwaves schools, apartments and hospitals do not have aircon. People are suffering, staff and patients in hospitals. Schools closed a week early and parents told they could keep their kids at home. Really?? When both parents are obliged to work to pay for ever increasing health insurance, rent, etc. End of year parades and athletics events were also cancelled. It's about time authorities woke up and stopped their net zero zealotary. People need to feel comfortable in their homes. This is the new normal and will only get worse each year.
C
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Anonymous
Unfortunately, Switzerland is a cultural paradox. Bureaucracy and inflexibility are rife at all levels of government. One need only think of the health risks during heatwaves and the lack of air conditioning in schools, hospitals, care homes and facilities for people with disabilities, as well as the lack of responsibility for the safety of residential areas near forests and woodland parks. I live in Dietikon right next to one such woodland park, which borders on a forestry area. Although there is currently a ban on barbecues and open fires, there has been no mention of fireworks so far. It’s the same every year: fireworks are set off right in the middle of the park (Marmoriweher) and on the playground, surrounded by dry bushes and trees. Rockets have already landed on my balcony, and I have witnessed them being deliberately fired vertically into the air – to the amusement of young people looking to have a bit of fun. When will the Canton of Zurich finally wake up?
Leider ist die Schweiz ein kultureller Widerspruch. Bürokratie und Sturheit sind auf allen Regierungsebenen weit verbreitet. Man denke nur an die Gesundheitsrisiken während der Hitzewellen und die fehlende Klimaanlage in Schulen, Krankenhäusern, Altenheimen und Behinderteneinrichtungen, sondern auch an die mangelnde Verantwortung für die Sicherheit von Wohngebieten in der Nähe von Wäldern und Waldparks. Ich wohne in Dietikon direkt neben einem solchen Waldpark, der an die Forstwirtschaft angrenzt. Zwar gilt derzeit ein Grill- und Feuerverbot, doch von Feuerwerkskörpern ist bisher keine Rede. Jedes Jahr dasselbe: Feuerwerkskörper werden mitten im Park (Marmoriweher) und auf dem Spielplatz, umgeben von trockenem Gebüsch und Bäumen, gezündet. Raketen sind schon auf meinem Balkon gelandet, und ich habe miterlebt, wie sie absichtlich senkrecht in die Luft geschossen wurden – zur Belustigung von Jugendlichen, die sich einen Spaß erlauben wollten. Wann wacht der Kanton Zürich endlich auf
R
Well, I can only say : Come to the tropics. Lombok, Indonesia, maximum 30 C during the day and 24 C during the night. Cool sea breeze coming up from wintery Australia. My swimming pool water feels cold, approx. just like lake Zurich at the moment.
The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.
Hello,__ whilst there may be measures taken or decided upon by politicians regarding the protection of the population from climate change, it certainly seems that we are faced more with statements of intent than with actual changes. Admittedly, for example, the canton of Geneva has chosen to introduce greenery along certain streets and thoroughfares, to create ‘oases’ of coolness and to implement a general prevention policy aimed primarily at vulnerable people. Good intentions to encourage local authorities to maintain regular contact with people aged over 65 or 70, for example, seem to have fallen by the wayside or become scattered amongst a variety of practices that are difficult to identify. Despite numerous warnings, the canton has continued to authorise the construction of high-density rental blocks in several parts of the canton – the few remaining areas still suitable for development. As a result, a significant proportion of the vegetation and tree cover has been sacrificed. Decisions are being taken far too late in the face of the evident acceleration of climate change. Of course, all this comes at a cost, so it is better to seek small, local solutions rather than draw up large-scale, ambitious urban planning schemes, such as the PAV. For example, housing associations could use Meudon whitewash to cover certain windows in courtyards that are too exposed to the sun. We could all use our imagination rather than relying on large-scale projects driven by financial interests....... J.S.
bonjour,__ s'ils existent des mesures prises ou décidées par les responsables politiques concernant la protection de la population devant le changement climatique, il semble bien que nous nous trouvons davantage devant des discours d'intention que de changements effectifs. Certes, par exemple, le canton de Genève a fait le choix de végétaliser certaines rues et artères, de créer des "ilôts" de fraîcheur et d'entreprendre une politique générale de prévention principalement pour les personnes fragilisées. Les bonnes intentions pour susciter les communes à garder des contacts réguliers avec les personnes de plus de 65 ou 70 ans, par exemple, semble être tombées dans l'oubli ou dans une diversification de pratiques difficilement identifiables. Malgré les nombreux avertissements, le canton a continué à autoriser l'élevation d'îmmeubles à forte densité locative dans plusieurs endroits du canton, les rares endroits encore constructibles. De ce fait, une bonne partie de la végétation et de l'arborisation a été sacrifiée. Les décisions sont prises beaucoup trop tard par rapport à l'accélération évidente du changement climatique. Bien entendu , tout cela a un coût, il vaud donc mieux chercher de petites solutions locales plutôt que d'établir de grands plans urbanistiques ambitieux, tel au PAV. Par exemple, les régies pourraient utiliser le blanc de Meudon pour couvrir certains vitrages dans les allées trop exposées au soleil. L'imagination de chacun peut être sollicitée plutôt que de grands projets soutenus par des intérêts financiers....... J.S.
@SCHMITZ Jacqueline
Very well and succinctly put! Bottom line is always greed over the safety and comfort of the population . Geneva is a wealthy canton and could very easily have aircon units installed in hospitals, apartments and schools.
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