Europe is the fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising by around 0.56ºC per decade since the mid1990s, more than double the global average.
Demand for air conditioners and other cooling solutions is therefore rising rapidly as their role in protecting people from extreme heat becomes increasingly important. By the end of June 2026, Europe had already experienced two major heatwaves, one in May and another in June.In late May, a heat dome formed over Western Europe, bringing record heat for the month, particularly in Western France. Temperatures rose up to 15℃ above the seasonal average across much of the country. During this unusually early and intense heatwave, France, Ireland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom all experienced their highest May temperatures on record.
Another heatwave swept across Europe during the final 10 days of June. Experts explained that a heat dome trapped hot air over the continent for days, driving temperatures higher and intensifying the effects of global warming.Sweltering conditions spread across Europe. On June 23 and 24, France endured its hottest days on record, with temperatures reaching 39..43ºC in western regions. The ITN, France’s national thermal indicator, which averages daytime and nighttime temperatures across 30 weather stations, reached 30ºC on June 24, the highest since records began in 1947.
June 24 was also the UK’s hottest June day on record, with the mercury hitting 36.9ºC in Wattisham, southeast England. Spain, meanwhile, registered its highest daily average temperature since 1950. Early data also showed unprecedented June temperatures at several sites in Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland, with a number of locations surpassing previous highs during the heatwave. Germany registered 41.7ºC in Neißemünde-Coschen, Brandenburg, on June 28, the highest temperature ever measured in the country. Extreme heat damaged sections of the Autobahn, forcing temporary closures near Berlin, while Deutsch Bahn (DB), the national railway company, and other railway companies advised against non-essential travel during the peak of the heatwave.On June 28, the Czech Republic recorded 41.9ºC in Doksany, its highest temperature on record, while Denmark recorded 36.6º C near Odense on June 27, setting a new national high.The Nordic countries did not escape the heat entirely, either. Temperatures in southern Finland climbed to nearly 30ºC during a late-June heatwave, unusually high by Nordic standards.The heatwave also brought widespread tropical nights, with temperatures remaining above 20ºC overnight. Such conditions can increase cardiovascular stress and disrupt sleep.
The combined effects of extreme daytime heat and persistently warm nights took a growing toll on public health. More than 1,300 excess deaths were initially linked to the June heatwave, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). France’s health agency first reported around 1,000 excess deaths, mostly among people aged 65 and older, before raising the estimate to 2,000 by early July. WHO Director-General described heat stress as a ‘silent killer’ and urged European governments to implement heat-health action plans (HHAPs). Air Conditioning Gains Acceptance Recent heatwaves have demonstrated that Europe is vulnerable to extreme heat. Against this backdrop, Europeans, exhausted by two heatwaves in quick succession and anxious about those still to come, are increasingly recognizing that measures to mitigate extreme heat have become a necessity. European cities and regions are adopting measures to reduce the impact of extreme heat, including shading through trees and architectural features such as shutters. However, older buildings and existing urban environments often cannot be radically modified, and as heatwaves become more frequent, these measures may prove insu cient. As a result, improving access to air conditioning has become an increasingly important part of Europe’s response to extreme heat, as many households across the continent still lack it. Total ownership of air conditioning units in Europe stands at a mere 20%, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Penetration rates range from 25% in France to around 50% in Italy and Spain, compared with around 90% in Japan and the United States. Yet attitudes toward air conditioning may be starting to shift. France offers one example. With summer temperatures soaring, the French are gradually overcoming their hesitation about ‘la clim’ – air conditioning.
The June heatwave sparked debates among members of parliament at France’s National Assembly.
Critics consider the RN plan opportunistic and inadequately costed, and note that the party was among the last to acknowledge the reality of >climate change.Even environmentalists, traditionally opposed to expanding the use of air conditioning, acknowledged that it may now be unavoidable in certain settings such as schools and hospitals. While environmentalists have long argued that air conditioning contributes to climate change through electricity consumption, France’s largely nuclear-generated power alters the terms of the debate. Additionally, at the height of the latest heatwave, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu approved the installation of 30,000 air conditioners in hospitals, following a proposal from the health minister. The measure is part of a broader package that includes €100 million (about US$ 114 million) in funding for local authorities to address urgent cooling needs in hospitals and the healthcare facilities the most exposed to extreme heat. Across the country, consumers also sought immediate relief from the heat,
driving a sharp increase in demand for portable air conditioners. The debate over air conditioning is not confined to France. At the European Union (EU) level, the European Commission (EC) has pledged to ‘double down’ on climate change adaptation (CCA) following the deadly heatwaves, with a climate resilience strategy due in the fourth quarter of the year. The EC has so far avoided taking a firm side in the political debate, favoring what it calls a ‘holistic’ approach that prioritizes cooler buildings through better insulation and design, alongside effcient cooling where genuinely needed – an approach it plans to elaborate further in a forthcoming 2026 Heating and Cooling Strategy. Decades ago, Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, called air conditioning “a most important invention for us, perhaps one of the signal inventions of history,” crediting it with “changing the nature of civilization by making development possible in the tropics.” What was once framed as a solution unique to the world’s hottest regions is now becoming a necessity far beyond them. As global temperatures continue to climb, Europe – and the world at large – may increasingly confront the same reality that long defined the tropics: without reliable, energy-e cient cooling, both public health and economic activity are at risk. For Europe’s policymakers, ensuring access to effcient, environmentally sound air conditioning and other cooling measures is no longer a peripheral issue, but a priority they can no longer aford to postpone
