Brussels Launches Cool-Spot Map as Francophone Communes Lag Behind

As a new heatwave sweeps across Belgium, the City of Brussels has launched an interactive map pinpointing “cool spots” where residents can find relief from soaring temperatures. The map includes water fountains, free water bottle refill points, green spaces, metro stations, air-conditioned public buildings, and libraries. However, other Francophone communes in the Brussels region and Wallonia have yet to create similar resources, drawing sharp criticism from experts and activists who warn that the lack of coordination is leaving vulnerable populations exposed.

The initiative comes just days after the Interministerial Conference (CIM) on Health, held on July 8, identified access to cool spaces as a top priority. It also follows a devastating June heatwave that caused an estimated 1,747 excess deaths across Belgium — the deadliest heatwave since records began in 2000, according to Sciensano.

A Deadly Wake-Up Call

The June 18 to July 1 heatwave was exceptionally lethal. Wallonia recorded the highest excess mortality at 76%, followed by Brussels at 60.9% and Flanders at 31.4%. Notably, excess mortality among people aged 15 to 64 reached 61.3%, dispelling the notion that only the elderly are at risk. The peak came on June 27-28, when 641 and 632 deaths were recorded on consecutive days.

“More than 1,700 additional deaths — we’re not dealing with a small marginal problem that won’t come back,” said Joël Privot, a professor of urbanism at the University of Liège, as reported by RTBF.

What the Brussels Map Offers

Augustin Nourissier, climate coordinator for the City of Brussels, explained that the map was designed to address two fundamental needs: cooling down and staying hydrated. “The number one objective was to address two needs: the need to cool down — the need for shade — and the need to hydrate, to drink,” Nourissier told RTBF. “We also thought about the reception capacity and the meaning of sending people in these directions.”

The map, available through the Brussels open data platform, draws inspiration from pioneering European cities. Lyon has mapped 700 climate refuges with detailed information on opening hours and amenities. Barcelona has created a network of “climate refuges” that includes pharmacies and shops, while Paris has catalogued 1,400 cool spots.

Mayor Philippe Close (PS) emphasized that the map is part of a broader strategy. “During heat episodes like this one, which will become more frequent, our priority is to be present for those who need it most,” Close said, as reported by DH Les Sports+. “This situation reminds us that climate change is a reality that already concretely affects our daily lives.”

A Regional Gap

While Brussels and the commune of Schaerbeek have developed their own maps, and Ghent in Flanders has one as well, the situation in Wallonia is markedly different. Major cities including Charleroi, Liège, Namur, Mons, and La Louvière do not offer detailed cool-spot maps. Namur provides a list of seven cool spaces, and Liège has separate maps for drinking water points and parks, but nothing approaching the comprehensive approach seen in Brussels or European peers.

Yannick Vesters, climate resilience project manager at the consulting firm Ecores, called for the initiative to be generalized across the region. “It is problematic that so few new cool places have been opened to the public,” Vesters told RTBF. “The lack of political reaction to the early and intense heatwave in June is notorious.”

Adrien Demazy, emergency planner for the city of Verviers, acknowledged the need but cautioned that implementation takes time. “We discussed it two weeks ago with the alderman for Health — we need to set this up. Indeed, it’s a necessity,” he said. “I won’t hide that it might not be done this year.”

Challenges and Complexities

Creating a reliable cool-spot map is more complex than simply placing markers on a digital map. Nourissier noted that the city deliberately excluded commercial establishments to avoid favoritism, and negotiations with religious institutions and museums are still ongoing. Maintaining up-to-date information on opening hours and accessibility remains a significant administrative burden.

Another concern is the urban heat island effect. Dense inner-city neighborhoods in Brussels experience temperatures up to 3°C higher during the day and 8-9°C higher at night compared to greener suburbs. These areas also tend to have lower-income populations, raising questions of climate justice. The citizen association We Are Nature is demanding that the Brussels Region publish hospitalization and death data cross-referenced with postal codes and socioeconomic status to highlight these inequalities.

What Comes Next

Nourissier hopes the initiative will spread. “I hope the initiative will be imitated, copied, extended,” he said. “Clearly, this initiative would make sense at the level of the entire agglomeration.”

Professor Privot believes the penny has finally dropped. “I think there are processes that, little by little, will be put in place, because now we understand that it has become not a comfort problem, but a real public health crisis,” he said.

With heatwaves expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change, the question is no longer whether Belgian cities should map their cool spots — but how quickly they can do so before the next deadly heatwave arrives.