Accra, Other Cities Unite to Fight Extreme Heat
A new global alliance of cities has been formed to take urgent action against extreme heat, one of the deadliest effects of climate change.
The initiative, called the Cool Cities Accelerator, was launched at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It will help city leaders protect residents, safeguard economies, and redesign urban spaces to cope with rising temperatures. The coalition includes 33 founding cities from across the world, representing more than 145 million people. Among them are five African cities — Accra in Ghana, Durban and Tshwane in South Africa, Freetown in Sierra Leone, and Nairobi in Kenya. Extreme heat has become the deadliest weather-related hazard globally, claiming nearly half a million lives each year. Experts warn that without urgent action, the number of people exposed to dangerous heat could increase fivefold by 2050.
However, most of these deaths are preventable with the right steps — such as providing cooling centers, clean water, medical care, and strong early warning systems to protect vulnerable groups like the elderly and outdoor workers.
Through the Cool Cities Accelerator, participating cities will take both immediate and long-term actions. In the short term, they aim to strengthen early warning systems, establish clear heat response plans, and ensure access to cooling for residents during heat emergencies within the next two years. In the longer term, the cities will work to improve building designs, expand green spaces and tree cover, and upgrade critical infrastructure to make cities more resistant to extreme heat within five years.
The program is supported by several major organizations, including The Rockefeller Foundation, Climate Works Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Z Zurich Foundation, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with technical help from IBM.
The Rockefeller Foundation has provided a $1 million grant to help cities develop targets for heat adaptation and implement science-based solutions.
Speaking at the launch, Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of The Rockefeller Foundation, said extreme heat is now a daily reality affecting millions of lives. She praised the cities for taking bold, science-driven steps to protect people and build a safer future.
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, also warned that the number of days with temperatures above 35°C has risen by 54% in the past two decades, calling extreme heat a “silent killer.”
The Cool Cities Accelerator forms part of C40 Cities’ broader mission to support climate action in major urban areas worldwide. By working together and sharing solutions, cities hope to act faster and save more lives.
This global movement marks a strong step toward creating cooler, greener, and more resilient cities for generations to come.
