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Feeling the heat in Swiss cities

25.05.2020 – Theodora Peter

Heatwaves are becoming more common as a result of climate change. This is particularly true of cities, where summer is an increasingly sweltering affair. Vegetation, open-water areas and urban air corridors can all help to keep people cool.

On hot summer days, the water display on Berne’s Bundesplatz is popular among tourists and locals alike. In front of the imposing sandstone facades of the Federal Palace and the Swiss National Bank, children flit between the 26 fountains that symbolise Switzerland’s cantons. They then lie face down, drying themselves on the sun-baked stone. From the restaurant verandas of the old town, to the ice cream vendors lining the banks of the River Aare – the vibe is distinctly Mediterranean. In Berne and other northern hemisphere cities, this is but a taste of things to come. According to a study by ETH Zurich, which pairs the predicted climatic conditions of 520 major cities around the world in 2050 with their closest climatic likeness today, Berne will have a similar climate to that of present-day Milan in three decades’ time. London will feel like Barcelona, Stockholm like Budapest, and Madrid like Marrakech.

The latest climate scenarios reveal a likely rise in Swiss summer temperatures of between 0.9°C and 2.5°C, meaning that the number of days the mercury hits 30°C will continue to increase. Cities will bear the brunt and turn into veritable heat islands. Shadeless streets and asphalted squares heat the air like a furnace. This air is slow to cool at night, with temperatures consequently unable to dip below 20°C.

Trees – the new air conditioners

As far as Switzerland is concerned, the impact of climate change is particularly evident in Sion. No other Swiss city has recorded a sharper increase in temperature over the last 20 years. For example, the number of days with temperatures reaching at least 30°C in the capital of Valais has risen from 45 to 70 since 1984. The city launched the government-funded pilot project AcclimataSion six years ago in order to adapt urban development as well as building regulations more effectively to climate change. As city planner Lionel Tudisco puts it, the aim was “green and blue in place of grey”. This involved planting more trees in public spaces. “A tree has the same cooling effect as five air-conditioning units,” Tudisco explains. In the daytime, it can be up to seven degrees cooler where trees cast shade than in the immediate vicinity. Waterways, fountains, lakes and ditches are the ‘blue’ helping to irrigate the city. “These features create microclimates and reduce temperature fluctuations,” he says. The objective is not only to lessen the urban heat but also to mitigate the impact of floods. This is because climate change also leads to more frequent heavy rains in addition to higher temperatures – the violent thunderstorm that caused flash floods on Sion’s lower-lying roads in August 2018 being a case in point.

The landscaped Cours Roger Bonvin is the showcase feature of the AcclimataSion project. This 500-metrelong pedestrian promenade situated on the roof of a motorway tunnel used to be a rather uninviting concrete heat trap. Today, some 700 trees provide welcome shade in a public space dotted with islands of greenery. An artificial beach and generous seating and lounging areas create a holiday vibe as kids splash around in a specially constructed paddling pool.

Mapping the urban climate

Larger urban areas in Switzerland are also having to contend with climate change. Officials in Zurich want to take action – they expect a twofold increase in the average number of 30°C days from 20 to 44. “We need to stop heat from smothering the entire city,” says the head of Zurich’s environmental and health protection department, Christine Bächtiger. Specifically, this means minimising asphalt and other forms of paving, because paved surfaces are liable to heat their surroundings from all the solar radiation that they absorb. The authorities also want to relieve parts of the city that are densely populated or have a high proportion of older inhabitants who find it harder to cope in hot weather. Other options include expanding the network of paths and parks as well as enlarging less heat-prone areas of the city. Zurich has a favourable geography compared to other places, with three quarters of the city benefiting from the cool air that flows down at night-time from the wooded slopes of Zürichberg, Käferberg and Uetliberg. To preserve this natural ‘cold air system’, Zurich’s urban planners intend to keep certain air corridors free and ensure that new builds do not exceed a certain height.

The authorities in Basel have also conducted an analysis that maps the city’s ‘heat islands’, ‘green lungs’ and prevailing air flows. Spatial planners and architects used these findings to build the Erlenmatt district from scratch, positioning the buildings in such a way as to ensure that fresh air continued to blow in from the Wiesental valley. Constructed according to sustainable principles, the new neighbourhood also has a spacious park and other notable areas of greenery.

Vegetation and water

Meanwhile, the focus in Geneva is on increasing local vegetation. Last summer, officials approved a strategy that underpins the planting of greenery as part of an urban master plan, while the Urbanature project has already seen Geneva’s municipal gardeners plant around 1,200 trees and 1.7 million plants around the city. The Geneva government also believes that there has to be a fundamental shift away from the use of personal motorised transport. Residential courtyards that serve as car parks could then be transformed into green oases. Trees not only provide the city with fresh air, but their leaves also filter out particulate matter from the atmosphere.

The city of Berne is also applying a range of measures. For example, the authorities will only permit paved surfaces if these are necessary for traffic or disabled access. Rainwater begins to dry immediately when it lands on asphalt, whereas it will seep into gravel and evaporate later. “We need to rethink our approach to water,” says Christoph Schärer, director of parks and green space in Berne. Rain should no longer be drained directly into the sewers but remain where it falls, because evaporation has a cooling effect. It will also water the vegetation. “There is no benefit to covering everything in asphalt,” he says. Berne’s numerous fountains and watercourses also help to freshen the air. For example, the Stadtbach stream has been partially ‘daylighted’ along its route through the old town.

More ‘exotic’ trees are being planted in the Swiss capital. These can withstand climate change, whereas many native trees such as the large-leaved lime and the sycamore are particularly sensitive to heat and drought. The Turkey oak is one of the new tree species being used in Berne. Native to south-east Europe, this deciduous tree is resistant to cold winters and hot summers. It can also cope with the late spring frosts that have become a frequent occurrence in recent years. As far as Schärer is concerned, planting palm trees is certainly not the answer.

Adapting urban development to climate change

Extreme summer heat is harmful to public health. The mortality risk increases markedly during heatwaves. Hundreds of people in Switzerland died from the extreme temperatures in 2003 and 2015, with the elderly in urban areas particularly affected. Such heatwaves will be longer, hotter and more frequent due to climate change. The challenge for urban developers is to ensure that towns and cities continue to offer a good quality of life in a warmer climate. The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) drew up guidelines for adapting urban development to climate change in a 2018 report that uses examples in Switzerland and abroad to illustrate how the urban heat island effect can be reduced. However, none of this will stop the rise in summer temperatures. Excessive CO2 emissions are the root cause of climate change. A massive reduction in greenhouse gases – as prescribed in the Paris climate agreement – is the only way to counter global warming.

The FOEN report “Hitze in Städten” (in German and French)

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A summer like no other

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  • user
    Jeremy Ramsden, UK 24.06.2020 At 11:08
    How appallingly trite is the impression of planners and planning from "Feeling the heat in Swiss cities" (June 2020). In Sion the Cours Bonvin "used to be a rather uninviting concrete heat trap". Why was such a monstrosity ever designed in the first place? Similarly we have this gem from Christoph Schaerer, director of parks and green spaces in Berne: "There is no benefit to covering everything in asphalt." There is a proverb, "better late than never", but given that from the beginning many concerned citizens have voiced opposition to the general "betonisierung" that has been going on for the last few decades, there can be no excuse for the present state of affairs. Chief culprit is the gigantic construction industry and lobby. It is worth reflecting that Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, a country whose per capita GDP is only about one seventh of that of Switzerland, is full of shady, tree-lined streets. The ambition of its former president Eduard Shevardnadze was to create the "Switzerland of the Caucasus". Perhaps Switzerland's ambition should now be to become the "Georgia of the Alps".
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  • user
    Ernst Rütimann, Trang, Thailand 08.06.2020 At 16:13
    Es ist erfreulich, dass die Menscheit endlich aufgewacht ist und die anstehenden Probleme zu lösen versucht. Aber es ist "too little, too late"; es werden in der Schweiz ein paar Bäume mehr gepflanzt (welche in den vergangenen Jahrzehten entfernt wurden, um Platz zu schaffen), zugleich brandroden in Brasilien, Indonesien und anderswo die Leute jeden Tag quadratkilometerweise Steppengebiete und Urwäder für Grasland und Palmölplantagen, um die bald 8 Milliarden Bewohner unserer einzigen Kugel zu versorgen! Drei Vietrel der Erde ist Meer und eine nicht zu unterschätzende Fläche besteht aus Gebirge und Wüsten, welche auch immer grösser werden. Ich, 73-jährig, werde die Veränderungen nicht mehr erleben, mich dauern nur die Neugeborenen, welche sich mit all den Umweltproblemen ihrer Vorfahren herumschlagen müssen. Aber die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt, dass sich Alles zum Guten wendet.
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  • user
    Joelle Mann, Oxford, UK 29.05.2020 At 22:54
    If only in the UK national and local governments would have such an enlightened attitude...
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  • user
    Lis Hidber, Arts-Performance-Centre, Tsumeb NAMIBIA 28.05.2020 At 23:48
    Endlich, endlich werden viele Architekten von der Klimaveränderung und nicht zuletzt auch von der Tierwelt gezwungen, menschenwürdiger zu planen, anstatt den eigenen Namen und den vollen Geldbeutel als Ziel zu haben.
    Dank dem COVID19 wird endlich der eigentliche Wert des Menschen gesehen und dementsprechend Entscheidungen in Politik und Wirtschaft gefällt.
    Ich weiss noch, als mein Vater, der machtlos zusehen musste, wie eine Gemeinde im Sarganserland vor etwa 50 Jahren einige biologische Flussläufe, in denen Kinder spielten und verschiedenste Frösche, Reptilien und Fische leben konnten, in Betonröhren zwangen, um schneller den Rhein zu erreichen. Als vile Einwohner sich beschwerten, gab die St.Gallische Kantonsregierung die selbstherrliche Antwort:"Wir werden der Natur trotzen!" Mein Vater war Lehrer und erklärte uns Schülern etwas wütend und traurig:"Das wird sich einmal rächen!"
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  • user
    Michele Engel, Northern California, USA 28.05.2020 At 20:55
    There is a web browser called "Ecosia" that every 45 engine searches on that browser, generates enough money from ads (clicked on or not) to plant a tree on the planet somewhere. Right now they are focusing on Africa, South America and other area I great need. I am hoping they will move onto other more Urban areas as time goes on. They put up videos of all their projects and have a blog as well as Videos on YouTube.

    Climate change is no joke or hoax. Thank you for this very informative article!
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    • user
      Joelle Mann, Oxford, UK 29.05.2020 At 22:47
      I use this browser every time, thank you for alerting people to it.
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  • user
    Jacqueline Forest, Haute Savoie, France 28.05.2020 At 16:00
    Que tous ces projets voient le jour, ce serait merveilleux car quoi de plus agréable que de s'asseoir à l'ombre d'un arbre. Merci pour cet article plein d'espoir.
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  • user
    Isabelle Pisler, Canada, Vancouver 28.05.2020 At 14:45
    I loved this article and all the comments are very true! I live in Canada now. I lived in Montréal for 10 years and left it coz they don't plant enough trees and asphalt is everywhere. It is already a construction and climate disaster. Now I'm lucky enough to live in Vancouver (which reminds me of my swiss childhood) and I LOVE the fact there is green EVERYWHERE I look. Even downtown downtown! Result : climate is just awesome here. It's never too cold and never too hot.
    I traveled the world a lot and I can confirm British Columbia is definitely a rare Paradise on earth. I hope that a maximum of cities in the world will apply this swiss reorganisation urban model. Good job guys.
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  • user
    Claude Pasche, Québec, Canada 28.05.2020 At 14:36
    Nous n'avons qu'une solution; c'est de remplacer tout les arbres qui ont été abattus au cours des décennies passées. Les arbres sont comme une famille!
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  • user
    Aminatulhuda Dingle Shaver, Largs, Scotland 28.05.2020 At 10:47
    Finally we are starting to listen to Nature and watch its natural benefits, no more thinking that us human being can be the kings but finally realizing that we have to be the steward of the Planet. Going back to growing more trees, having more green area, more water that flows on the surface and more space and building that face the natural air flow ...well done Earth...you are still the Teacher...and with the reduction of cars fumes that we had with the covid19 the 'specialists' will now be able to measure how much less co2 was released in the atmosphere...of course everything has to be 'measured' of it would not occur to the modern man to accept that Nature and its Creator were 'perfect' to start with. Congratulations to all the city planners and yes to have productive fruits trees would be great...and vegetables patches as Janine is suggesting. Have a good summer wherever you are
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  • user
    Danielle Beuchat, France 28.05.2020 At 10:32
    Il n'y a pas que des arbres à planter, il faut arrêter la prolifération des voitures polluantes qui continuent comme avant la parenthèse enchantée du confinement!
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  • user
    Janine Destraz, Haute Saône, France 28.05.2020 At 07:55
    Bonne Idée de planter des arbres... De récupérer l'eau me semble important, vu que nous puisons déjà dans les réserves. Pourquoi pas penser à mettre des potagers à volonté. Je suis persuadée, que certains citoyens auront la joie de s'occuper. Merci pour cette bonne Idée.
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  • user
    Florence Gschwend, London, UK 27.05.2020 At 09:55
    Toller Artikel. Ein paar Fotos von den genannten Orten wären noch schoen gewesen.
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  • user
    Frank Burton, Cairns, Australia 27.05.2020 At 04:41
    This is such good news and an example for many other cities to follow. I like Singapore for the reason that it's a relatively cool place yet right on the equator. Highrise buildings create shade and funnel the seabreeze, whilst many parks and trees provide the shade. Well done Switzerland!
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