Europe Is Hot as Hell. Why Doesn't It Want Air Conditioning?

- Europe is experiencing increasingly severe heat waves, but has much lower air conditioning (AC) adoption than the US (roughly 20% of households vs ~90%), leading to heat-related deaths and productivity loss. - Key reasons: European buildings (especially historic ones) are built to retain heat, making retrofitting difficult; strict energy-efficiency and environmental regulations limit AC installation; and cultural attitudes view AC as unnecessary or wasteful. - This tension reflects a broader dilemma: as global temperatures rise, Europe must balance climate goals (AC is energy-intensive and uses refrigerants that warm the planet) against the public health need for cooling. - The article likely profiles resistance from policymakers and green advocates, while noting that heat waves are making AC adoption a de facto necessity — even if Europe wants to avoid an American-style "AC everywhere" model.