How air conditioning fuels global heating
2 Min Read
Air conditioning accounts for roughly one-fifth of all electricity consumed in buildings worldwide.
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The boom in air conditioning is bad news for the environment.
It's an endless loop- as the climate warms, so does the demand for air conditioning, which contributes to the warming.
Air conditioning accounts for roughly one-fifth of all electricity consumed in buildings worldwide.
Much of that electricity is generated by power plants that emit greenhouse gases, and to make matters worse, air conditioners can leak hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, which emit greenhouse gases thousands of times stronger than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
As the UK experiences longer and more intense heatwaves, air conditioning is becoming more popular, and estimates suggest that by the end of the century, air conditioning could increase the UK's power consumption by up to 15% during the summer.
In October last year, G20 leaders reportedly reached an agreement on limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Sources told AFP that leaders approved going beyond what was agreed upon in the 2015 Paris Accords, which called for limiting global warming ideally closer to 1.5°C.
Read next: World on track to breach key 1.5°C threshold in next 5 years: Report
G20 leaders had launched Saturday a desperate push to reach a joint approach to tackling climate change. Officials have reportedly worked overnight to reach a 'meaningful' commitment ahead of the UN climate summit.
With the use of air-conditioning in Europe growing more popular amid unprecedented soaring temperatures, is reaching this temperature feasible?
See more: Young People on Climate Crisis
