Europe should normalize air conditioning to weatherproof heat
Vox argues that Europe should stop stigmatizing cooling and embrace air conditioning as a practical climate adaptation tool, since extreme heat is becoming more common and only a minority of European homes have AC. The piece notes Europe’s lag behind the U.S. in cooling prevalence and the fact that essential public spaces like schools and hospitals often lack AC. It contends that rather than a moral shortcoming, modern, energy-efficient cooling—paired with building design and grid resilience—can protect health, productivity, and welfare during heat waves.