The heat doesn’t affect everyone the same way

Translated by Mariateresa Tauro

There’s one question we rarely ask ourselves during a heat wave: who can really afford to stay cool?

The answer may seem obvious: an air conditioner, a well-insulated house, and maybe a few days at the beach or in the mountains will be enough. And yet, climate change ceases to be merely an environmental problem and becomes a social issue.

Experts call it climate inequity, which is the idea that global warming does not affect everyone in the same way. Temperatures are rising for everyone, but the ability to protect oneself from the heat depends more and more on income, work, home, and even the neighbourhood.

In other words, climate is becoming a new indicator of inequality.

Recent summers in Europe have demonstrated this with increasing clarity. Longer heat waves, tropical nights, cities that can no longer cool down even after sunset, few trees, and a lot of concrete. But while some people close their windows, turn on the air conditioner, and continue their day almost as usual, millions of people face extreme temperatures without adequate means to protect themselves.

The first difference is economic. Considered a luxury or a mere convenience a few years ago, air conditioning is now a genuine measure of climate adaptation.  But buying it, installing it, and - above all - using it comes at a cost that not everyone can afford. For a lot of families, the energy bill is already a major expense in the household budget, and during the summer, the heat also forces them to make sacrifices.

Then comes work. People who work remotely can adjust their schedules, limit their travel during the hottest hours of the day, and work in air-conditioned environments. On the contrary, for those who work on construction sites, in fields, in logistics, or in urban services, the heat represents a daily risk,

But the actual surprise comes when you look at the cities from above.

Satellite images reveal a reality that is often invisible to those who experience it every day. Neighbourhoods with more trees, parks, and permeable surfaces have significantly lower temperatures than areas dominated by concrete and asphalt. It is not just an urban phenomenon: it is a snapshot of inequalities, but also of public policy choices.

Several recent studies have sought to analyse this phenomenon, using a sample of approximately 500 major cities around the world, and have shown that cities in the Global South have a much lower cooling capacity provided by green spaces than those in the wealthier countries. This means that the very populations with the fewest resources who also live in the hottest urban environments.

This is the heart of climate inequity: not everyone experiences the same climate, even when they live in the same city.

The neighbourhood where a child is born may influence his or her exposure to heat just as much as the family’s income.  For this reason, many local governments are changing their approach. It is no longer enough to reduce emissions: we must adapt our cities to a climate that has already changed.

Barcelona has become one of the most studied cases in Europe thanks to the creation of more than 400 climate shelters.  Libraries, schools, community centres, and museums are being transformed into air-conditioned spaces with free entry for the public during heat waves, with a special focus on the elderly and the most vulnerable people.

Instead, Paris is investing in two complementary strategies. On the one hand, thousands of new trees and large-scale urban greening projects are being implemented to lower street temperatures. On the other hand, one of the world’s most extensive urban cooling networks, powered by water from the Seine, has been projected to cool public buildings, hospitals, and museums while consuming far less energy than traditional systems.

As summer 2026 approaches, the need for action becomes clear, especially in outlying and isolated areas. Thousands of cities are already implementing plans to combat the urban overheating effect. However, the authors warn that planting trees is not enough: climate policies will need to increasingly incorporate the principle of social justice, focusing their efforts specifically on the neighbourhoods where the most vulnerable populatios live.

This is a challenge that affects Italy as well. Our cities are among those most vulnerable to the effects of global warming in the Mediterranean, one of the areas of the planet that is warming the fastest. And as summers become longer and more sweltering, there is a growing risk that the heat will turn existing economic disparities into full-fledged climate inequalities.

Therefore, the question is not just how much temperatures will rise in the coming decades.

The question is a different one -  and a much more uncomfortable one: in an increasingly hot world, who will be able to afford to stay cool?

Mondo Internazionale APS - Riproduzione Riservata ® 2026