"Hand Fan Is Far-Left, Fan Is Centrist, Air Conditioner Is Far-Right": Europe Engulfed in the 'Cooling Ideology War'

Explosive Demand for Cooling Amid Europe's 'Killer Heatwave' Over 40 Degrees

Air Conditioner Distribution Emerges as Key Election Issue in France and Germany

Amid unprecedented heatwaves sweeping across Europe, demand for air conditioners is surging, while online posts dividing people by political orientation over the use of air conditioners are spreading locally.

On the afternoon of the 22nd of last month (local time), a citizen was walking while drinking water in Monterrey, Mexico, where the perceived temperature approached 40 degrees Celsius. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to foreign media reports on July 13 (local time), a major political conflict is erupting in Europe between right-wing populist forces, who advocate for large-scale air conditioner distribution led by their respective governments, and the left-wing camp, which prioritizes environmental protection such as responding to climate change.

France's far-right National Rally (RN) has pledged to expand air conditioner distribution through government subsidies ahead of the presidential election in April next year. Likewise, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has called for wider use of air conditioners, criticizing Europe's energy efficiency rating policies. Marc Bernhard, spokesperson for AfD, said, "Climate hysteria has led to misguided ideological building regulations, such as limiting air conditioner use, which in turn has caused more deaths from heat-related illnesses."

From June 18 to 29, the average temperatures in southern France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom were 5 to 12 degrees Celsius higher than normal, marking a record-breaking heatwave. The World Weather Attribution (WWA) reported that, during this period, about 45% of urban areas with populations over 50,000 in the European Union (EU), Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Norway experienced 'the worst level ever' on the Heat Stress Index survey.

Despite major European countries experiencing record-breaking temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius this summer, the air conditioner penetration rate in Europe is only about 20%, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Southern European countries, such as Spain and Italy, where the temperatures are even higher, have penetration rates of 45% each; however, these figures fall far short compared to the United States (about 90%), South Korea (about 86%), and Saudi Arabia (63%). Historically, Europe's milder climate compared to the US and Asia, combined with a prevalence of old buildings and complicated building regulations, contributed to this low adoption.

Recently, the ongoing heatwaves have caused both individuals and businesses to sharply increase their demand for air conditioners. Items such as cooling scarves and fan-equipped hats, which were previously popular mainly in Southeast Asia, are now seeing rising orders in southern European countries like Spain and Italy.

In Europe, where unprecedented heatwaves have struck, demand for air conditioners is surging, and an online post dividing political opinions over whether to install air conditioners locally is gaining attention. Photo by The Asia Business Daily Database

On the other hand, there are concerns that the use of air conditioners accelerates climate change, which is a core cause of global warming, and that increased usage will only worsen future heatwaves. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing party "La France Insoumise" (France Unbowed), argued, "Air conditioners should never be installed everywhere," adding, "Doing so will only make things worse."

Online, baseless claims are circulating that those who use energy-intensive air conditioners are far-right supporters. Some social media posts even feature images that superimpose Hitler's face onto air conditioners. A netizen in Germany wrote on the social media platform X that they refused a neighbor's invitation to visit after the neighbor installed an air conditioner, stating, "Selfish people. Personal comfort is not worth destroying the planet." The post sparked a heated debate, with more than 2,500 comments.

According to EuroMOMO, Europe's mortality monitoring agency, from June 22 to 28 alone, there were 10,650 excess deaths due to the heatwave across 27 EU member states. Of these, more than 9,000 were senior citizens aged 65 or older. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized that most investments in Europe's heatwave response focus on long-term solutions such as providing shade, insulation, and cooling centers, rather than mechanical cooling. However, the WHO also pointed out the necessity of expanding limited air conditioner use to protect high-risk groups, such as the elderly and patients, from heat-related illnesses.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.