The Great Meltdown 2 - Milan of Fire: Heat Islands

The Great Meltdown is the "film" that is before our eyes every day: the real and dangerous effects of climate change, which are affecting everyone. Unlike the first docu-film, which explored environmental disasters caused directly by human actions, this new season focuses on the devastating effects of extreme weather events. The episodes will be 5 and will be released weekly during the month of November 2023.
- Episode 1: Milan of fire, the islands of heat
- Episode 2: Vaia, a storm to remember
- Episode 3: Silent Invasion, Blue Crab and Alien Species
- Episode 4: Extreme Hail, the New Normal
- Episode 5: Emilia Underwater - Coming Soon 27/11/2023

In Milan, as much as 80% of the urban area is covered by heat islands, a phenomenon that is growing exponentially. Only 13% of the city boasts green spaces such as parks, lawns and gardens, compared to 30-32% in cities such as Rome and Naples. The remaining part is covered with asphalt, concrete and metal, materials that absorb solar radiation but at the same time diffuse it. This creates thermal hotspots with adverse temperatures, so-called heat islands. An analysis of the climate map of Milan shows a drastic thermal gap: in the green areas the temperatures fluctuate between 25 and 30 degrees, while in the red areas they can spurt up to 40-45 degrees, showing a considerable difference of at least 10 degrees. This phenomenon is becoming increasingly serious due to the acceleration of climate change, which contributes to the intensification of both temperatures and the frequency of extreme weather events.

Recent research and scientific studies underline the seriousness of the heat island phenomenon in cities. A survey conducted by the University of Bologna and published on ScienceDirect revealed that, between 2003 and 2020, urban areas experienced average temperatures up to 15°C higher than the surrounding rural areas. Equally worrying is what is reported in an article on Nature Communications, which reports 6.4 more days of extreme heat per decade since 1980, with reference to the Mediterranean basin. These data not only emphasise the urgency to act, but also the importance of targeted mitigation strategies. Increasing green areas and adopting sustainable architecture solutions have become actions that can no longer be postponed to mitigate the effect of heat islands and to build cities more resilient to climate change.

As climate change intensifies, heat islands are becoming more and more extreme in urban areas. Milan is no exception and the urgency to adopt resilience measures is evident. Hence the symbolic and provocative contest 'Heat Islands 2023', with which the 3Bee team identified the most critical areas of the city. In third place we find Milano Lambrate, Rubattino area, known for its buildings and commercial spaces, but with a certain degree of mitigation thanks to the river that runs through it. In second place, rank with a ex aequo Dergano and Greco, the latter known for its railroad switches and dilapidated warehouses. But who is the winner of the 'Heat Islands 2023' contest? In first place is the District of Calvairate: with its vegetable market and extensive asphalt areas, this area has a thermal variation of as much as 10 degrees compared to the Milanese average, emerging as the most critical heat island case for the year 2023.

In order to improve the climate resilience of Milan and its province, 3Bee has launched an important initiative consisting in the creation of 10 Biodiversity Oases: lands ranging from 1 hectare to 10 hectares that aim to recreate habitats for the pollinating-insects, absorb CO2, purify the air and reduce the heat island effect. But our commitment does not stop there: in the next 6 months we will adopt 25 city roundabouts in Milan and on them we will build 'tiny oases' that will replicate exactly these spaces. Often these roundabouts are dry or full of plants and flowers such as roses, which are not useful for pollinators. Our goal is to regenerate these areas to combat the heat island effect and develop a resilient ecosystem to protect us from an uncontrollable future. Want to help us regenerate biodiversity in Milan?