About 38% of Europeans say they cannot afford to cool their homes due to high electricity prices. Left-wing and “green” parties oppose widespread installation, viewing it as a wasteful use of energy that only exacerbates climate change. In addition, installing air conditioning typically requires the consent of neighbors and local authorities.
Most residential buildings and public institutions in Europe are not equipped with air conditioning. The Wall Street Journal explains why.
According to the WSJ, air conditioning systems are installed in approximately 56% of homes in Italy, in only 25% in France, and in just 5% in the United Kingdom. At the same time, summer heat waves in Europe claim tens of thousands of lives every year—significantly more than in the U.S., the article notes. According to scientists, one of the reasons for this difference lies precisely in the low prevalence of air conditioners.
As the WSJ explains, Europeans have long avoided using air conditioners, considering them noisy, detrimental to the architectural character of cities, and, above all, unnecessary as long as summers remained relatively mild. In addition, there were concerns that the widespread adoption of this energy-intensive technology would undermine Europe’s ambition to be a global leader in the fight against climate change.
However, this stance is increasingly at odds with reality: Europe is warming faster than any other region on the planet. According to the WSJ, the average temperature here is already about 2.5 °C higher than in the pre-industrial era, whereas the global average warming is about 1.4 °C.
Nevertheless, European authorities continue to try to avoid the widespread adoption of air conditioners. In some cities, installing an air conditioner in an apartment requires the consent of all residents in the building.
In addition, the decision must be approved by local authorities to ensure that the equipment complies with architectural requirements, noise standards, and the city’s energy consumption goals, the article states. In cities such as Paris or Geneva, it is prohibited to install outdoor units if they detract from historic facades.
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