Are deadly heat waves driving Europeans to embrace air conditioning?
Summary
Many Europeans have traditionally avoided air conditioning due to cost, culture, and environmental concerns. However, because of rising heat waves and deadly temperatures, more people in Europe are now buying and using air conditioners to stay cool and safe.Key Facts
- Europe experiences about 175,000 heat-related deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization.
- Air conditioning can reduce heat-related deaths by 75%, but only about 20% of European homes have it, compared to 90% in the U.S.
- Europeans often see air conditioning as expensive and bad for the climate, as it contributes 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Some European homes were designed to stay cool without AC, but rising temperatures are making these designs less effective.
- In Italy, AC use grew from 10-15% of households in 2003 to 56% in 2024 after a deadly heat wave.
- Italy uses about one-third of the European Union’s electricity for air conditioning.
- European summers are heating up twice as fast as the global average, leading to expectations that AC use will double by 2050.
- Stores in France have sold out of air conditioners during recent heat waves, and Britain has doubled the number of homes with AC in the past three years.
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