Cool Noons project

The past few years have been the hottest years ever recorded on Earth: 47°C in Lisbon (2018), nearly 49°C in Syracuse (2021), 41°C in Athens (2023)… In the Mediterranean region, climate experts expect a rise of temperature 20% faster than the global average. 

As Mediterranean coastlines prepare to welcome 500 million visitors by 2030, heatwaves are no longer the exception—they are the new normal.

Cooling the urban space in summer

Ensuring comfort and public health amid rising summer heat

What if cities could adapt to rising temperatures, safeguarding both residents and tourists, by rethinking how we explore and experience urban spaces during the hottest hours of the day?

With Cool Noons, five pilot cities Marseille, Lisbon, Imola, Budva and Dubrovnik are developing and testing solutions to enhance thermal comfort and map new urban itinaries during periods of extreme summer heat.

Walk the Cool Paths to explore the city differently

The Cool Noons project is testing and refining “Cool Paths” urban routes designed for thermal comfort in five pilot city: Budva, Dubrovnik, Imola, Lisbon, and Marseille.

Each city began by mapping their coolest urban routes. Because every city’s geography and climate are unique, local climate data, satellite imagery, and detailed urban analysis were used to identify naturally refreshing areas: shaded streets, green spaces, coastal breezes, water features…

Focus on Lisbon, Portugal

Exploring the Cool Paths in Lisbon green corridors connecting the city, with blue and green solutions along the way. The Cool path of Monsanto links two bioclimatic shelters : the Monsanto forest (10% of the total surface area of the city) and Estufa Fria, ensuring thermal comfort while supporting biodiversity and soil restoration in the city.

Focus on Marseille, France

Connecting the city through comfortable walking routes for daily commutes or tourism, the Cool Paths in Marseille (FR) supports the adaptation of the city to the new realities of climate change.

Focus on Dubrovnik, Croatia

Bringing under the spotlight less-explored paths of the city, Dubrovnik creates a system of 7 Cool paths to discover the capital with new lenses.

Focus on Imola, Italy

Imola is providing resting areas to residents (especially the youth) and tourists, enhancing quality of life, offering places to relax with access to water and shade. A quick intervention serving as a leverage for middle-long term urban plan!

Focus on Budva, Montenegro

Also known as the “Queen” of the Mediterranean, Budva is one of the fastest growing destinations in the region. The circular Cool Paths in Budva connect main tourist attractions with everyday local life, from the Academy of Knowledge to the Avala Hotel, passing by the City Hall and the Budva Clock Tower.

A participatory approach

To ensure these urban itinaries reflect the needs of different users, they were co-created with residents, local authorities, NGOs, universities, and business owners through participatory urban walks and workshops.

Identifying and connecting of thermal relief, while inviting visitors to discover new, less-explored parts of each city.

A catalogue of thermal solutions

Explore the Cool Noons catalogue of solutions cooling interventions identified through participatory workshops held in the five pilot cities, combined with proven strategies already successfully implemented in other urban contexts. A variety of approaches to address urban heat:

• Nature based solutions, tree planting, city gardens, vertical greenery
• Water based solutions, water fountains, bottle-refilling spots, water sprays
• City and street furniture solutions, benches and tables in shaded areas, shading sails, air corridors
• Technology and multimedia solutions, for information and promotion of cool itineraries
• Behavioral (human based) and other cross-project solutions