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EU Official: AC Alone Isn't Enough for Heatwaves
2 Jul
Summary
- Europe's cities need a combined approach to combat rising temperatures.
- Air conditioning is vital but not a sole solution for heatwaves.
- The EU's upcoming climate strategy focuses on prevention and resilience.
Cooling Europe's cities demands a comprehensive strategy beyond just air conditioning, according to an EU official. While acknowledging air conditioning's essential role during increasingly frequent heatwaves, officials caution against over-dependence. Relying solely on AC could escalate electricity usage, necessitate additional power generation, and inflate household energy expenses, particularly amid high current prices. Furthermore, widespread AC installation can exacerbate the urban heat island effect through waste heat.
The European Commission is preparing a climate adaptation strategy, due in the fourth quarter of 2026, shifting focus from disaster recovery to prevention and resilience. This strategy advocates a "holistic" approach, prioritizing cooler cities through design, insulation, and passive measures. Efficient air conditioning will be recommended only where genuinely needed, with portable units noted as less energy-efficient than modern, fixed systems. These fixed units, often functioning as reversible heat pumps, contribute to heating decarbonization and cooling efficiency, supported by evolving EU energy-labelling and eco-design rules since 2002.
Lawmakers emphasize that reducing the debate to "for or against air conditioning" is overly simplistic. While schools and hospitals need air conditioning to protect vulnerable populations during dangerous heat, AC alone cannot address infrastructure vulnerability or agricultural impacts. Experts advocate for reimagining urban spaces with green infrastructure like trees, wetlands, and cooling zones. The escalating danger from heatwaves is seen as a wake-up call to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources to power cities sustainably.
