Europeans should learn to love the air-conditioner … green electricity
The Economist argues that as Europe faces more intense heatwaves, widespread adoption of air-conditioning is inevitable and beneficial if powered by green electricity. Rather than resisting AC, Europeans should embrace it while accelerating the shift to renewable energy sources, making cooling sustainable without compromising climate goals.
Background
- Air-conditioning (AC) has long been much less common in Europe than in the US or Asia. Many European homes and offices lack AC entirely, partly due to cooler historical climates, architectural traditions designed for passive cooling, and cultural resistance (AC is seen as wasteful, ugly, or unhealthy).
- This is changing fast as heatwaves become more frequent and intense due to climate change, causing deaths, productivity losses, and strain on healthcare systems in countries like France, Germany, and the UK.
- The article argues that Europeans should embrace AC — but only if it is powered by clean electricity (solar, wind, nuclear). The catch: Europe's grid already struggles with summer peak demand, and adding millions of AC units could overload it, requiring massive investment in both renewables and grid capacity.
- The piece sits in a long-running debate about "sustainable cooling": how to keep people safe from heat without making climate change worse through increased energy use and refrigerant emissions.