As heatwaves grow more intense worldwide, communities face a difficult balance between keeping people safe from extreme temperatures and limiting the climate impact of ever-growing cooling demand.
Key points:
- Air conditioning prevents thousands of heat-related deaths each year in the United States, though extra over-cooling provides no further health benefits
- Rising global demand for air conditioning will create massive new greenhouse-gas emissions, putting additional pressure on the already strained climate system
- Researchers recommend nature-based cooling and high-efficiency equipment to provide affordable thermal comfort without heavy reliance on fossil fuels
Read the full article here: https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-air-conditioning-fdddd1efe2992032f027ed81d05ca51b