Paris City Hall's 'Project Oasis' is a programme to transform by 2040 all of about 800 concrete schoolyards of the capital into cool spots for respite in periods of extreme heat, and perhaps even bring down temperatures across a city with the lowest proportion of green spaces of any European city.
It’s only 10am but the heat is already radiating off the asphalt at the École Riblette, a primary school on the outskirts of Paris. Sébastien Maire, the city’s chief resilience officer, points to the school’s lower courtyard, a classic heat trap: surrounded by concrete walls that reflect sunlight inside. Last June, the courtyard hit 55C (131F), reports The Guardian.
