FR / Haut commissariat à la stratégie et au plan: “Fostering a genuine ‘culture of heat’”

“Faced with heatwaves that are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense, we need to foster a genuine ‘heat culture’,” states the French public Haut commissariat à la stratégie et au plan (HCSP) in its position paper entitled ‘Improving quality of life in the face of heatwaves: for a ‘Cool France’’, written by Marc Fasan and Louis Lallau, cross-functional advisers, and published on 10 July 2026.

The HCSP aims to contribute to the development of solutions to tackle heatwaves. ‘The aim is to build a “Cooler France” that is more resilient, more inclusive and better organised in the face of the new climate reality.’

The authors argue that major infrastructure adaptation projects should be complemented by a policy on usage. This would involve adapting working practices and public…