As global temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, many Europeans are increasingly turning to air conditioning to cope with soaring summer heat, despite historical reluctance and the challenges associated with energy consumption and supply chains.
Experts note that humans are most comfortable within a narrow temperature range known as the thermoneutral zone—between 17 and 24 degrees Celsius. However, climate change has increased the frequency and severity of heatwaves worldwide, threatening habitability in many regions. Currently, about 12 percent of the Earth’s land is considered uninhabitable due to extreme heat, a figure projected to exceed 45 percent by 2100. The World Health Organization reports nearly 489,000 heat-related deaths from 2000 to 2019, predominantly in Asia and Europe, and warns that heat-related mortality is expected to rise significantly in coming decades.
Europe, which traditionally experienced milder summers, has seen temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius in recent weeks. Despite this, the continent has lagged behind other regions in widespread adoption of air conditioning. While countries in the Global South and North America have embraced air conditioning as a means to maintain livable indoor environments, only about 20 percent of European homes currently have such systems installed. This is attributed to several factors including older housing stock difficult to retrofit, regulatory resistance due to aesthetic concerns, high electricity prices—often more than twice those in the United States and Hong Kong—and environmental worries over refrigerants and carbon emissions.
Historically, various methods have been employed to mitigate heat, from ancient Egyptian water-drenched reeds to architectural designs such as narrow streets and shaded squares in cities like Seville, Spain, where temperatures often approach 50 degrees Celsius. Modern air conditioning traces its origins to Willis Havilland Carrier’s invention in 1906, initially intended to control humidity in industrial settings rather than cool homes. The technology became widely accessible to households only after the 1940s, gaining popularity first in movie theaters and later in residential use.
The current surge in European demand for air conditioners is complicated by reliance on imports, primarily from China, which produces around half of the world’s supply. Major manufacturers such as the Midea Group have reported doubling their sales to European customers compared to the previous year. The International Energy Agency projects that the number of air conditioning units globally could nearly triple by 2050, reaching more than 5.5 billion units, reflecting increased cooling needs amid warming climates.
However, the environmental impact of expanding air conditioning use remains a critical concern. Cooling accounts for approximately 20 percent of electricity consumption in buildings worldwide and contributes around 3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. This rising demand for electricity will also contend with increasing energy needs from data centers, especially those supporting artificial intelligence development in the United States, Europe, and China.
As countries face the dual challenge of providing relief from extreme heat while minimizing environmental impact, the transition to air conditioning powered by renewable energy sources becomes imperative. The balance between mitigating heat stress and limiting contributions to global warming will shape future approaches to cooling in a rapidly warming world.