These days the situation in France is very bad due to heat. An alert of severe heatwave has also been issued by the government for the next few days. The possibility of forest fire has also been expressed. From Sunday, June 21, the National Meteorological Department has issued a ‘red alert’ regarding the heat in France. Considering the situation, the French government has also banned drinking alcohol in public places and organizing sports events played outside. Apart from this, there is also news of cancellation of many trains.
To protect the public and tourists from the heat, the French government has installed ‘misting stations’ (machines that throw water spray) at many places in Paris. Apart from this, in view of the possibility of increase in the number of heat stroke patients, medical teams have been asked to remain on alert.
France faced terrible heatwave in 2023 also
Citizens have also been advised to take precautions in view of the scorching heat and not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. It has been asked to take special care of the elderly, in fact, the heatwave of 2003 has been very terrible in the history of France. During this period, 15,000 elderly people had died.
Despite the scorching heat, the French do not use AC.
Earlier there was no such severe heat in France. But in recent years the temperature here has increased continuously. At present, the maximum temperature in many parts of the country has reached near 40 degrees. Now due to the summer conditions here, the need to use AC is being felt among the citizens. But do you know that using AC is not common in France.
It was not so hot in France before
The French can afford AC. They are counted as one of the richest countries in the world. But, the weather in France has been relatively cold. The summers here were not very long or extremely hot. Therefore, most houses were designed to protect against cold.
Difficult and expensive to install AC in old buildings of France
There are hundreds of years old and historical buildings all over France including Paris. It is technically difficult to install AC in these buildings. Besides, it is also quite expensive. In such a situation, it is not appropriate to tamper with these buildings and get AC installed.
French emphasize on energy saving
In French society, there is a lot of emphasis on energy saving and reducing carbon emissions. AC is considered a high power consuming appliance. Apart from this, he believes that living in AC can affect health. In such a situation, people give more priority to natural ventilation, use of thick curtains and shutters to keep their houses cool.
Now demand for AC is increasing in France too
However, due to climate change, the incidence of heatwaves has increased in France in the last few years. The temperature is being recorded near 40 degrees. In such a situation, the demand for AC in homes, offices and public places is increasing rapidly. Its effect is also visible. Around 2021, where AC was available in only 10 percent of the houses in France, it has now reached 25 percent.
Leave a Reply