As heatwaves grow more frequent and deadly, experts are challenging the notion that air conditioning is a luxury rather than a public health necessity. Across Europe, fewer than 30% of households have cooling systems, particularly in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, and Denmark — countries historically built for heat retention, not cooling. French politician Marine Le Pen proposed expanding air conditioning access during a recent intense heatwave. The International Energy Agency predicts global installations will surge dramatically in coming decades. Environmentally, AC’s carbon footprint depends entirely on its electricity source, meaning a shift to renewables could make cooling systems far more sustainable.
In-Depth:
The debate over whether or not to utilize air conditioning has become increasingly heated year after year. Many experts, for example, suggest relocating beyond the idea that cooling systems are simply a comfort for a privileged few, encouraging people to view them as a genuine tool for protecting public health. What many people point out, however, is that while air conditioning is practically a must-have in Italy, once you cross the Alps, climate control systems are far from common.
Major international health institutions argue that heat waves, which have become progressively more intense and frequent due to climate alter, risk cautilizing an increase in heat-related deaths worldwide in the coming decades. As noted by the Financial Times, one way to limit the consequences of extreme heat on health is to encourage the adoption of cooling systems, which today are not as widespread across Europe as one might consider. But why?
Is air conditioning really that widespread?
With heatwaves rising in frequency globally, the wide US-Europe gap in air conditioning utilize is being reflected in a startlingly wide disparity in heat-related deaths, states John Burn-Murdoch. Climate alter means the arguments against AC are also altering https://t.co/n34hCzaoQk pic.twitter.com/6H4PMe7KcL
— FT Opinion (@ftopinion) July 14, 2025
In several European countries, air conditioning is still relatively uncommon in homes, especially in Northern Europe and parts of Western Europe. Overall, cooling systems are found in less than 30% of houtilizeholds. The main reason is historical: for decades, summers were mild enough that investing in cooling systems was not considered necessary. In addition, many homes were designed to retain heat during the winter, with strong thermal insulation and natural ventilation regarded as sufficient for summer.
A striking example is France. Despite recent heat waves, a significant share of French homes still does not have air conditioning. For a long time, the climate was considered temperate enough not to justify its installation, especially in the northern and western regions. Added to this are energy costs, greater sensitivity to consumption levels, and the presence of historic buildings, where installing air-conditioning systems can be complex or subject to restrictions.
Similar situations can also be found in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Nordic countries such as Sweden and Denmark. However, climate alter and rising summer temperatures are leading to a rapid increase in installations in these countries as well.
Air conditioning in Europe
But beyond economic considerations, ethical and environmental factors, as well as historical and social ones, also influence the decision of whether or not to install an air conditioner. In Europe, for example, the lower adoption of air conditioning is linked to the fact that, for a long time, summer temperatures generally remained at levels considered manageable, especially when compared to other parts of the world. Today, however, this is no longer the case. For this reason as well, the International Energy Agency predicts that the number of air conditioners installed globally will grow dramatically in the coming decades.
For example, last year, during an intense heat wave, Marine Le Pen stated that a government led by her far-right party, the Rassemblement National, would promote a program aimed at expanding the utilize of air-conditioning systems. In France, the utilize of cooling systems has historically been less widespread than in other countries, even in the most populous urban areas, and this contributes to creating the debate over their utilize particularly heated and divisive.
Air conditioning itself does not generate direct carbon dioxide emissions; its environmental impact depfinishs on the source of the electricity utilized. In this regard, the transition toward energy production systems based on renewable energy rather than fossil fuels could significantly improve the overall sustainability of this technology, further encouraging its adoption and generating positive effects in terms of prevention.
