Europe’s Soaring Heat and the Great Air Conditioning Dilemma

Parts of Europe sweltered in May as a heat dome spread across the continent, shattering temperature records for the month. Peak afternoon temperatures climbed to around 35 degrees C (95 degrees F) in the UK and France — about 10-15 degrees C (18-27 degrees F) higher than average for this time of the year. 

Deadly heat waves have become the new norm in recent years for Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent. With air conditioning in only 20% of the Europe’s buildings, city leaders face a pressing dilemma: how to keep people cool without worsening the climate crisis driving rising temperatures in the first place.

The cycle of rising heat, greater demand for cooling and growing emissions can be broken. Here, we look at data on Europe’s rising urban heat and explore how cities can adapt by pairing efficient, low-carbon air conditioning with long-term passive cooling solutions such as green roofs, reflective materials, tree planting and climate-smart building design.