If you’ve weathered a sweltering heat wave by running the air conditioner, you’re not alone.
As the planet warms, more people are turning to air conditioning to keep cool.
But these energy-hungry, chemical-leaching units take a heavy toll on the planet.
With the global number of air conditioners projected to triple by 2050, experts warn that we urgently need to change course.
Here’s why, and where in Europe it’s best for alternatives.
How bad is air conditioning for the planet?
Air conditioners use more electricity than any other appliance in the home. Along with electric fans, they consume 10 percent of the world’s electricity.
The average unit is only a third of what it could be, warns Sophie Geoghegan, a climate campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency, a green NGO based in London.
“These power-hungry pieces of equipment often run for many, many hours a day,” he says.
“When you look at commercial refrigeration, they are always running.
“According to the International Energy Agency, by 2050, fans and ambient cooling will consume as much electricity as all of China and India today.”
Unfortunately, power consumption is only part of the problem. Air conditioning units also leak hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants (HFCs), gases with powerful planet-warming properties.
The most widely used refrigerant, R-410A, is 2,000 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
These gases are the “elephant in the room,” warns Geoghegan.
“It’s frightening. Given how many people buy air conditioners, it could be absolutely disastrous,” she says.
Which countries in Europe are regulating air conditioning better?
Some countries in Europe have adopted measures to minimize its use.
Italy and Spain have imposed rules on how high air conditioning can be set in government buildings, including schools. In Italy, it cannot be set below 25 degrees Celsius. In Spain, the lower limit is 27 degrees.
In France, government buildings can only turn on the air conditioning if the outside temperature exceeds 26 degrees. The country recently banned air conditioned tents to keep its doors open.
In Switzerland, some cantons regulate the purchase of air conditioning. People in Geneva must have a “valid reason” to buy air conditioning, such as certain health conditions.
Germany has green procurement standards for public contracts, requiring CAs purchased in this way to meet certain requirements. environmental standards.
Countries outside of Europe have also campaigned against the excessive use of air conditioning.
After the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, saving energy, or “setsuden,” became a national project for Japan.
The national environment ministry estimated that raising the temperature of its air conditioning unit by just one degree resulted in 13 percent less energy consumption.
In turn, workplaces raised thermostats, urging employees to wear lighter clothing in the summer.
These are welcome initiatives, but they are “baby steps,” says Geoghegan. Stronger action is needed.
What can we do with the environmental impact of air conditioning?
The best solution is to design where we live so that we simply don’t need air conditioning to cool us down.
Urban planning plays an important role in this. tree maximization and green space, positioning buildings to maximize shade and ventilation, and adopting water features are important steps.
During the 2007 heat wave, French authorities established communal cooling spaces (air-conditioned spaces where people could gather) to reduce reliance on individual air conditioning.
“A world where every person has an air conditioning unit is not a sustainable world,” Geoghegan says.
However, he acknowledges that some people need air conditioners, particularly the vulnerable and those who live in the hottest parts of the world.
To meet this demand, governments must hold the industry to higher regulatory standards.
This starts by phasing out harmful HFCs and replacing them with more environmentally friendly refrigerants such as ammonia, CO2 and hydrocarbons like propane.
The EU’s ‘F-gas Regulation’ aims to reduce F-gas emissions by two-thirds of 2010 levels by 2030. It is currently under debate.
“Europe’s HFC phase-down is currently under review by the EU,” says Geoghegan.
“Governments must support a very ambitious review of that legislation.”
To help consumers make more environmentally friendly choices, the Environmental Investigation Agency and Greenpeace have launched the Cool Technologies website.
The database shows best-in-class HFC-free cooling technology.
Governments should financially incentivize the purchase of these technologies, require eco-labelling on units, and adopt minimum national standards.
“This is a ripe fruit,” says Geoghegan.
“The technology is there, we just need a legislative push to get the industry on board.
“To people, I would say: really consider whether you really need an air conditioner. If you have to get one, you have to do your homework.”