France 24 • June 29, 2026 14:46

EU refuses to take side for or against air conditioning amid record-breaking heatwave

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As Europe’s deadly heatwave moves east, Brussels said Monday it would not pick a side in the heated political debate for or against air conditioning.

Story Timeline

Wed 04:00 - Financial Times

To cool or not to cool: French politicians draw battle lines over aircon

Wed 13:51 - BBC Headlines

Air conditioning creates political divide as France records hottest day

Fri 13:35 - Euronews

To use air con or not? The facts behind the politicised battle to stay cool in Europe

Sun 09:24 - DW All

Germany news: Extreme heat heads east, Greens want air con

Sun 09:24 - DW Top

Germany news: Extreme heat heads east, Greens want air con

Sun 13:12 - France 24

What France gets wrong about air conditioning

Mon 14:11 - Euronews

AC should be prioritised for the elderly and vulnerable, expert says

Mon 14:42 - Euronews

Keeping cool has become Europe's latest climate class war

Mon 14:46 - France 24

EU refuses to take side for or against air conditioning amid record-breaking heatwave

Mon 14:53 - Euronews

Neither pro nor con: EU declines to take stand on AC debate amid brutal heatwave

Different Perspectives

BBC Headlines

1 article

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13:51

Air conditioning creates political divide as France records hottest day

France is being forced to re-think its longstanding reservations about air-conditioning as temperatures soar.

DW All

1 article

▼

09:24

Germany news: Extreme heat heads east, Greens want air con

The worst of the heat wave is moving east and starting to ease, but extreme heat warnings remain in place almost nationwide. A Green politician is calling for rapid installation …

DW Top

1 article

▼

09:24

Germany news: Extreme heat heads east, Greens want air con

The worst of the heat wave is moving east and starting to ease, but extreme heat warnings remain in place almost nationwide. A Green politician is calling for rapid installation …

Euronews

4 articles

▼

14:53

Neither pro nor con: EU declines to take stand on AC debate amid brutal heatwave

As air conditioning becomes the subject of political debates, the European Commission is treading carefully to maintain a neutral stance.

14:42

Keeping cool has become Europe's latest climate class war

As Europe accelerates its green transition, the debate over air conditioning has become emblematic of a broader challenge. Climate policy is no longer judged solely by its environmental ambitions, but …

14:11

AC should be prioritised for the elderly and vulnerable, expert says

Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said governments should provide "temporary measures" such as cooling centres during heatwaves. High air conditioning use is "already jeopardising" the …

13:35

To use air con or not? The facts behind the politicised battle to stay cool in Europe

French politicians have drawn ideological battle lines over air conditioning as Europe struggles with record-breaking temperatures. What do experts say about the debate?

Financial Times

1 article

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04:00

To cool or not to cool: French politicians draw battle lines over aircon

As heatwave intensifies, far-right champions air conditioning while the left calls for renovations and green spaces

France 24

1 article

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13:12

What France gets wrong about air conditioning

Is this the heatwave that finally changes French minds on air conditioning? Not the mind of environment minister Monique Barbut, for one, who said she was "horrified" by the idea …