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Living in Paris at 50°C? This immersive capsule allows you to try the experience!

undefined undefined 19 novembre 2024 undefined 17h00

undefined undefined 21 novembre 2024 undefined 20h42

The Editor

© Shutterstock - Melinda Nagy

From November 19 to 21, the City of Paris is launching an immersive experience to raise awareness about climate change. The goal? To understand the extreme conditions Paris may face by spending some time at 50 degrees! Ready to take on the challenge?

The scenarios described by climate scientists are not very cheerful: extreme heat waves with peaks reaching 50°C could occur in Paris in the coming decades if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current pace. It’s a grim inevitability that seems unimaginable, yet it’s already noticeable: heat waves are increasingly hitting our capital, which is particularly vulnerable due to its urban shape that creates a heat island effect. How does the body react under such conditions? While humans can endure them – places like Pakistan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia have already recorded temperatures exceeding 52°C – what effect does the heat have on health? 

These are just a few questions that the City of Paris wants to address, if not with answers, at least to raise awareness among the public.

To do this, starting this Tuesday and lasting until Thursday, November 21, a big experiment called Climate Sense is being launched within the walls of the City Hall. Behind this initiative is the private institute Human Adaptation, which focuses on human adaptation capabilities and behavioral changes.


Understanding Life at 50°C 

Inspired by the real-life crisis exercise conducted in October 2023 with around a hundred participants, Climate Sense offers the chance to experience this temperature inside an immersive capsule created by the institute. 

Participants are plunged into temperatures exceeding 50 degrees and invited to engage in physical and cognitive activities under these challenging conditions, which proves to be much more difficult. This experience provides a sensory awareness of what could become a reality, accompanied by a series of events to think about concrete solutions. 

The experience is open to everyone, as long as you're in good health ; a <Medical questionnaire is submitted to everyone in advance. It is also recommended to bring a change of clothes.


Planning an Attack Plan 

This initiative comes as the Paris Council gathers at the City Hall until Friday, November 22. The City needs to dive deeper into its 4th Climate Plan to ensure the capital's sustainability in the near future. The agenda includes several measures aimed at transforming Paris into a “ garden city ”: 300 new hectares of green spaces, planting over 170,000 trees, creating cool islands, and even de-paving 40% of the territory. Will this be enough to keep residents from suffocating ? The future will tell! 


Climate Sense
City Hall of Paris 
3, rue Lobeau – 4th
Until November 21 
More info