Europe is facing a troublesome winter, as inflation and energy prices proceed to rise. The continent also faces tough decisions following its scorching hot summer
Heat waves in Europe broke records, sparked widespread wildfires and even damaged a busy runway at a London airport.
Unlike the U.S., European countries don’t depend on air con to address high temperatures. Fewer than 10% of households in Europe owned air conditioners as of 2016, in response to the International Energy Agency.
“If we were looking in the beginning of this summer, it was fairly quiet. We were getting typically 20 inquiries a day perhaps for people desirous about air con,” said Richard Salmon, director of The Air Conditioning Co., which relies in central London.
Demand for air conditioners spiked as temperatures crossed 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the UK.
“I have been here for 15 years and I’ve never seen anything quite prefer it,” Salmon said.
As countries across the globe rapidly adopt ways to chill their homes and businesses, it becomes more vital to put in cooling technology that does not contribute to higher temperatures in the long run via carbon emissions.
“It is obvious that if no effective mitigation strategies can be put in place on a worldwide scale to chop emissions then this sort of summer and these sorts of events will grow to be the brand new norm,” said Andrea Toreti, senior climate researcher on the European Commission, the chief body of the EU.
Watch the video to learn more about why large parts of Europe haven’t got air con, how ACs contribute to climate change, and latest sorts of efficient cooling technologies that may mitigate carbon emissions.
