No relief even at nighttime
The average maximum temperature this summer was high and was affected by the heat waves. The upward trend charted by climatic change models has become a reality. The frequency of high temperatures over the last 15 years has multiplied threefold. What is particularly alarming is the minimum temperature, in other words how low temperatures fall at night. A drop in temperature offers relief to the city’s residents and enables them to face the heat of the day. However, in the center of Athens and also in the concrete suburbs, the anarchic urban sprawl and monstrous buildings erected (such as those in Maroussi) have an impact on temperatures at night. Moreover, the fact that the forests around Athens have been burnt means that there is less chance of cooling the city. The years ahead may be much worse. We must take measures. (1) Michalis Petrakis is director of the Environmental Research Institute at the Athens Observatory.
