- These are civic premises and facilities belonging to the Generalitat de Catalunya distributed throughout Catalonia to offer a cool space to all those people who are unable to obtain thermal comfort at home
Excessive and sustained heat leads to increased morbidity and mortality, especially in the elderly and people suffering from chronic pathologies. On 26 May 2004, the Operational Plan for the Prevention of Heat Effects on Health (POCS) was launched for the first time and has been in operation every year since then during the summer months.
Within the framework of this Plan, the Ministry of Social Rights will this August open premises and facilities belonging to the Generalitat distributed throughout Catalonia that will function as climate shelters to offer a cool space to all those people who are unable to obtain thermal comfort at home.
The Directorate General for Civic and Community Action will open eighteen civic and community centres (CCC) throughout the country in August as climate comfort spaces. Civic and community centres are a type of civic facility which act as hubs for the community, in order to foster social cohesion, equity, help set down roots and a sense of belonging in Catalonia, and to promote the transmission of civic values that improve the quality of life of citizens through a set of services and resources available to the whole community. These facilities will be open to all citizens from Monday to Friday, 11 am to 7 pm.
A dozen Social Affairs and Families Offices (OASF) will also open in August to provide information and guidance to citizens.