欧洲多国遭遇罕见“热浪” 空调为何仍是“稀缺品”？

Core Viewpoint - Europe is experiencing extreme heat waves, leading to public health crises and highlighting the lack of air conditioning in households, with several countries reporting heat-related deaths [1][3]. Group 1: Air Conditioning Scarcity - Air conditioning is significantly less common in Europe compared to the U.S., with only about 20% of European households having air conditioning, while the U.S. has a rate of approximately 90% [3]. - The UK has a particularly low air conditioning penetration rate of around 5%, and Germany is even lower at about 3% [3]. - Four main reasons for the scarcity of air conditioning in Europe include traditional habits, building structures, energy costs, and policy direction [3][4]. Group 2: Traditional Habits and Building Structures - Historically, there has been little demand for air conditioning in Europe, as it has been viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity [3]. - Many European homes were built before the mid-20th century, lacking the infrastructure for central cooling systems, with a significant portion of homes having small windows and high floors, making installation costly and complex [3]. Group 3: Energy Costs and Policy Direction - High energy consumption of air conditioning units and elevated electricity prices in Europe pose significant barriers to adoption, especially for low- to middle-income households [4]. - Since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, energy prices in Europe have surged, making air conditioning unaffordable for many [4]. - European policies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 discourage air conditioning use, with measures such as limiting public air conditioning temperatures to 27 degrees Celsius [4]. Group 4: Changing Attitudes Towards Air Conditioning - The increasing frequency and duration of heat waves are prompting a shift in societal attitudes towards air conditioning in Europe [5]. - The International Energy Agency predicts that the number of air conditioning units in the EU will rise to 275 million by 2050, more than double the number in 2019 [5]. - In the UK, inquiries about residential air conditioning have tripled over the past five years, indicating a growing demand [5]. Group 5: Political and Environmental Considerations - Political figures in France are advocating for large-scale air conditioning infrastructure plans, criticizing the disparity between elite energy consumption and public energy-saving measures [6]. - Experts warn that without clean energy solutions, the widespread adoption of air conditioning could exacerbate climate change, creating a vicious cycle of global warming [6].