Urban planning must adapt to rising heatwaves, says expert

As global temperatures reach record highs, experts are calling for a fundamental shift in urban planning to combat intensifying heatwaves. Geographer Cheikh Ahmed Fadel Diouf emphasizes that for tropical nations like Senegal, climate adaptation must become a central pillar of public policy.

In cities such as Dakar, which has experienced increasingly intense heat episodes, Diouf suggests that urbanism and architecture must be redesigned to prioritize resilience. This includes moving away from carbon-intensive materials in favor of local alternatives and designing buildings that maximize natural ventilation and lighting to reduce reliance on artificial cooling.

The broader impact of rising temperatures extends beyond infrastructure, affecting daily life by restricting outdoor activities, altering landscapes, and threatening food security through crop fragility caused by drought and extreme heat.