What's it like being a chief heat officer?

As climate change makes the world hotter, some cities have appointed so-called Chief Heat Officers to try to improve their response to record-breaking temperatures. In 2024, Graihagh Jackson spoke to two women who have done the job in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Monterrey, Mexico. What does their role involve? What solutions are out there? And do they get enough funding? Plus, Umaru Fofana reports from Freetown on what happens when extreme heat grips the city. Umaru talks to locals forced to sleep outside because of the temperature, despite risks to their health and safety. And he also investigates a new piece of building design that might help people living in informal settlements. Got a question or comment? email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Osman Iqbal Sound engineer: James Beard and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

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What's it like being a chief heat officer? is an episode from The Climate Question by BBC.

This episode is 26:28 long.

This episode was published on Mar 29, 2026.

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