As they enter the bus, the high school students have smiles on their faces, the look of those who cannot be impressed by anything. They run on the treadmill, pedal the bike at full speed and even do some push-ups. Until one of them asks to leave, feeling uncomfortable. In reality, these students are testing a unique experience in the world: a mobile climate chamber, heated to 50°C, to “Immerse yourself in the climate of the future”.
“Only when we are touched from an emotional point of view can we act and change our behavior. “The information is not enough”estimates Christian Clot, creator of the installation, called Climate Sense. The explorer-researcher and director of the Institute of Human Adaptation launched the concept in 2021, but has only been testing it for the general public for a few weeks. From September 30 to October 3, it is in the heart of Batimat, the Hall of Construction Professionals, in Paris, where it attracts visitors with this intriguing question: “Do you dare to try life at 50°C? »
If the mercury is already reaching such extremes in India, Pakistan or Mexico, in France peaks of 50°C could be reached in several regions after 2050, with the current warming trajectory.
Inside the truck it’s a shock, compared to 15°C outside. The heat is similar to that of a sauna, but “People stay longer, they get dressed and above all we ask them for physical and intellectual activity. So it’s much more difficult.”assures Christian Clot. The air, on the other hand, is dry, with 20% humidity. After ten minutes of walking or cycling, to simulate the commute from home to work, participants are invited to play skill games and then answer a questionnaire to assess their cognitive abilities. The tests are done on paper because computers and mobile phones die within a few hours due to the effect of heat. After the thirty-minute experiment, body temperature increased by approximately 1.5°C.
“It’s not too late yet”
“It was unbearable!” »says one of the students from class 1d from the Le Champ-de-Claye vocational training institute, located in Claye-Souilly (Seine-et-Marne). Laurine Vauchel, director of the establishment’s commercial office, claims to have “I received a slap when I entered”. “I didn’t want to do anything anymore and it was difficult for me to breathe. “I waited for it to happen”testify. A little later, Louis-Pascal Soracchi, a retiree, observed “no obvious physical or cognitive losses”even if it must “read the questions several times”. Still red after the effort, Florent Létard, engineer and architect, claims to have “I felt comfortable until discharge.” “But it would not be habitable on a daily basis”believe.
You have 43.64% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
