Sofia now has a climate refuge in the summer heat

At the end of June, thermometers showed 40 degrees over much of the territory in Western Europe and forecasters warn of new heat waves in July.

Many of the victims - over 9,000 people - are aged 65 and over. Extreme heat can be fatal, as it causes heat stroke or complicates existing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This makes the older population of the Old Continent extremely vulnerable to heat, notes the Reuters Agency in its analysis of the phenomenon.

Until the human body manages to adapt to the new circumstances caused by global warming, the WHO recommends that the authorities in large cities take care of their residents and guests by creating places called "climate refuges" - these are green spaces in the shade that save people from the heat. In these climate oases, water mist is created, and in some warm cities, artificial snowflakes can even be made.

The Sofia Development Association is the creator of the first such climate shelter in the Bulgarian capital city. It is located very close to "Lavov Most" Square, at the beginning of "Veslets" Street, but a survey by the reporter of the "Horizont" program, Kalina Stoyanova, found that for now it is largely unknown to the citizens. It was made in this area because it is both densely populated and with very intensive transport and with a lot of evaporation from the nearby river. In addition to all this, it is quite populated with people from the so-called vulnerable groups. Last but not least, many of the public transport lines intersect here. This is an area that is in great need of a place to escape the heat, says Sevdalina Voynova from Sofia Development Association:

"Everyone knows that with climate change, larger and longer heat waves occur, but besides them, there is a specific phenomenon that occurs in cities due to the fact that they are overbuilt and most of the surface of the territory is sealed with asphalt, concrete and other ground-covering surfaces, but also because of population density, heavy traffic from public transport, etc. It happens that in certain places in cities the temperature is 5 to 7 degrees higher in the shade than in other places in the country or in the outskirts of the city. And let's not forget that the temperature is not measured on the ground, but is measured at a height of about a meter and a half and in the shade. This means that a person walking down the street experiences temperature that is much higher."

There are various "climate refuges" around the world - indoors and outdoors. The "cool island" that helps us cope with the city heat in Sofia is an outdoor climate refuge, Sevdalina Voynova says. "By default, this is a place where you feel like going to sit and rest and cool down, to restore your strength and then be able to continue your way through the hot streets."

"What we did was turning a neglected yard owned by a municipal hospital into a mini park, which functions as a climate shelter. It has shade and we have installed a water mist system. It is also mandatory to have access to drinking water – there is a fountain so that a person can fill a bottle with water and continue on their way. Here, in addition to being able to work and connect your device to free internet, you can also drink water without paying for it. In our shelter there are also board games and a small medical box where you can measure your blood pressure.”

It is preferable to always have someone there to monitor the order and good condition of this green space. So far, there have been no problems, Sofia Development Association report as they plan to create several more similar climate islands in other places in Sofia.

"I assume that by the end of the year, at least two more will be ready," Sevdalina Voynova says. "The social effect of these spaces is very important. Even the fact that people have the opportunity to drink and fill their water bottles for free already has a great social effect. Therefore, these places should not be measured as investments, as their value is in the social effect on people. No matter how much we try to promote it now, we still face a little mistrust, but those who have come and used it continue to come back here."

"It is good to have such pilot projects to prove that the idea is worth spreading widely. This is an occasion to encourage companies and organizations that have suitable spaces to organize such shelters in them. Open a small part of the yard, make the approaches to it open to people, provide water, cooling and rest for passers-by. Open some of the lobbies for those who need to hide from the heat. We in Bulgaria are in second place in Europe, after Spain, when it comes to the number of victims during the summer - premature loss of human life because of the heat"

Interview: Kalina Stoyanova, Bulgarian National Radio - "Horizont"
Text: Gergana Mancheva