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Is air conditioning the answer to extreme heat?

Is air conditioning the answer to extreme heat?

The Climate Question vor 1 Monat

Air con is increasingly seen as a lifeline not a luxury. What about its climate impact?

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Experts say we may now need to spend more on cooling our homes
than heating them because of climate change. In fact, the
International Energy Agency thinks the equivalent of 10 new air
conditioners every second will be installed for the next 30
years!

This surge in air con will put strain on the world’s electricity
grids, which are still mostly powered by fossil fuels. The units
also pump heat into the streets outside our homes – making cities
feel even hotter when we step outside.

But there are alternative options – like redesigning houses to
include more shading and increase the air flow, or using fans and
misting systems. We could also plant more trees or even change
the colours of our homes to reflect more sunlight!

In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Graihagh Jackson
talks to BBC Tokyo Correspondent, Kurumi Mori, and Radhika
Khosla, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at the
University of Oxford.

Got a question for The Climate Question? Email us:
theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Diane Richardson and Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound Mix:
Tom Brignell and Ricardo McCarthy Editor: Simon Watts