Seville, Spain, has launched a pilot program to address deadly heat waves. The program introduces a system for naming and ranking heat waves, making Seville the first city in the world to implement such a program. Spain has been experiencing extreme temperatures, with record-breaking heat waves in the past month. Extreme heat is a deadly form of severe weather and affects vulnerable populations. The pilot program in Seville is a collaboration between the city government and Arsht-Rock’s Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance. The program aims to raise public awareness about the dangers of extreme heat and implement better emergency response plans.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seville launches heat wave program | Implementing heat wave naming and ranking system | More cities adopting similar programs | Preventing heat-related deaths |
| Extreme heat kills more people than any other weather event | Heat-related deaths are preventable | Increased public awareness and improved emergency response | Promoting public messaging campaigns and interventions |
| Seville’s pilot program collaborates with various organizations | Collaboration to combat deadly urban heat | More cities collaborating to address extreme heat | Addressing the dangers of extreme heat |
| Seville’s program introduces three categories for extreme heat | Categorizing heat waves based on severity | Better emergency response efforts and public health information | Considering different variables when ranking heat events |
| Athens, Greece, announces similar initiative | Categorizing heat waves using a three-tiered approach | Implementing emergency response components | Preparing for future extreme heat events |
| U.S. cities (Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Miami, Kansas City) launch pilot programs | Rank and categorize heat waves | Improved response to extreme heat events | Addressing the dangers of extreme heat |