Helping cities adapt to heat at a national or regional level: the role of climate agencies

Extreme heat is putting increasing pressure on cities and towns worldwide. In Europe –the fastest-warming continent – this pressure is mounting rapidly. As heatwaves threaten public health, social cohesion, critical infrastructure, and the economic vitality of urban areas, local governments urgently need to take action. While many solutions exist to help cities cool down, they often need stronger support at the national and regional levels to make these solutions a reality.

Climate and energy agencies can play a crucial role in facilitating action at the local level. These agencies are uniquely positioned to equip local authorities with the knowledge, tools, and technical guidance they need to not only map heat risks in their territories but also to develop effective heat action plans.

Our Cities Refresh campaign highlights many of the actions cities can take – from nature-based solutions and heat-resilient urban design to stronger policies and community-driven initiatives. The Refresh Kit gathers useful tools and guidance to help cities begin this essential work.

For any city – especially smaller municipalities – to address heat with an integrated approach, it is essential to start with a sound diagnosis and a holistic understanding of the issue. This is where energy and climate agencies can really help.  

A great example is the numerical tool developed by France’s national energy and climate agency, ADEME, dedicated to helping cities work on heat: Plus Fraîche Ma Ville (meaning “Fresher My City”).

The case of France: ADEME’s “Fresher My City” Tool

Their tool breaks down the city’s journey into steps, helping them with each one. Starting from carrying out the diagnosis, finding the right combination of solutions and making a budget estimate, to then inviting members of the community to collaborate, finding funding, and finally sharing results via the tool’s portal.

Helping cities with the diagnosis

The tool provides detailed guidance on how and when cities should carry out a diagnosis of urban heat. It outlines how cities can embed this diagnostic work at key moments in urban planning and decision-making.

• Territorial level: Cities can integrate heat mitigation into urban planning tools such as Local Urban Plans (PLU), Territorial Coherence Schemes (SCOT), Climate-Air-Energy Plans (PCAET), and Climate Adaptation Plans (SECAP). This integration, ideally done during the preparation of these key documents, helps identify priority areas for cooling and strengthens long-term resilience.
• Urban projects: Diagnosing the risks of overheating early in the design process ensures that new neighbourhoods are adapted to current and future climate conditions. Early assessment informs land-use decisions, design guidelines, and technical specifications, creating cooler, more liveable urban environments.
• Public space projects: Cities can map areas prone to heat stress and use scenario analysis to compare interventions aimed at improving summer comfort for residents. This diagnostic work is most effective before and during the design phase, allowing for solutions—such as increased vegetation or reflective materials—to be tailored to local microclimates.
• Use and experience: Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions after implementation, especially during heatwaves, allows cities to adjust solutions based on real-world performance and community feedback. This continuous cycle of diagnosis, action, and adaptation ensures that heat mitigation remains both effective and responsive to changing needs.

Helping cities find the right solution

The tool also offers an extensive and interactive catalogue of solutions to help cities address urban heat, ranging from green solutions (trees and vegetation), blue solutions (water), to grey solutions (design and technology).

As an interactive platform, users can explore solutions by first selecting the type of urban space they wish to transform – roundabouts, schools, squares, streets, parking lots, green spaces, or buildings. For each space, the tool suggests various interventions. For example, for a school, options include transforming the schoolyard surface, adding greenery, renovating buildings, or changing behaviours.

Each solution is described in detail, including estimated costs, duration of works, temperature reduction potential, and additional benefits such as energy savings, improved health, and enhanced wellbeing. For instance, renovating school buildings could lower indoor temperatures by approximately 2.3°C, take 3 to 6 months to complete, and bring significant energy and health benefits. The platform also provides advice on materials, methodologies, and funding opportunities.

To inspire action, the portal includes case studies from cities that have already implemented cooling interventions. Users can filter these by the type of urban space or solution. The portal also shares case studies of the diagnosis stage.

While anyone can freely explore the tool and its resources, municipal officials in France can create an account to unlock its full potential—allowing them to develop tailored projects from start to finish within the platform.

Explore the tool (automatic translation of the page is available) for inspiration on how to help cities and towns in your region or country adapt to rising temperatures.