Brussels – Following the four exceptional heatwaves that have caused thousands of deaths across Europe this year, the majority of citizens in six major European countries would rather see the wider use of air conditioning than a reduction in carbon emissions, according to a YouGov poll cited by the British newspaper The Guardian, conducted in mid-July in France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain, and in early August in the UK.
Between 30 and 52 per cent of those surveyed were concerned about their family’s health when temperatures were close to or above 40 degrees. The proportion of people who feel they are unable to keep their homes cool ranges from 27 per cent in Spain to 41 per cent in France, rising to 53 per cent in Germany.
As regards demands on governments, between 61 and 73 per cent of respondents are in favour of making the installation of air conditioning compulsory in all new homes. Between 65 and 75 per cent call for the installation process to be simplified so it does not require permission from block managers or owners, whilst between 52 and 66 per cent would support government incentives for purchasing air-conditioning.
In every country except Italy — where the share stops at 35 per cent — between 41 and 48 per cent of respondents consider air conditioning a priority over reducing CO2, compared with 20–33 per cent holding the opposite view (32 per cent in Italy). The issue has become a new battleground in Europe’s culture wars, with far-right parties using it as a rallying cry against green policies deemed too ideological.
However, uptake remains very uneven across countries: it ranges from 11 per cent in the United Kingdom to 16 per cent in Germany, 23 per cent in Poland, up to 30 per cent in France, 58 per cent in Spain and 63 per cent in Italy. The contrast with the United States, where 93 per cent of the population has access to a centralised or portable system, remains stark.
Between 51 and 75 per cent of respondents in each country cite cost, rather than environmental concerns, as the main barrier to purchase. Among those who already own an air conditioner, its effectiveness is clear: between 79 and 85 per cent managed to maintain acceptable indoor temperatures during recent heatwaves, compared with just 35–47 per cent of those without one.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
