Europe must rethink how it will live with heat

ACs also come with problems of equity, as seen in many Global South countries. The rich can adopt them while the poor cannot. Europe has some of the highest electricity costs, with 10 per cent of the population facing “energy poverty”. While vulnerable populations should be protected through ACs, this is not a universal solution. Issues of grid capacity to meet peak demand from space cooling must also be considered. As long as cheaper, sustainable alternatives exist, air conditioning need not be the only answer.

In the Global South, disruptions and failings in infrastructure are often criticised as resulting from a lack of adequate planning. In Europe, when similar systems fail, governments tend to argue that they have not been built for high temperatures. In the Global South, initiatives like the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure are working towards climate preparedness. Similar efforts will have to be made in Europe. This will not require a reinvention of the wheel.  The technologies and materials needed exist in the Global South. A less-discussed aspect is agriculture. Unpredictable weather patterns make it difficult to plan crops, with France stating that it has lost up to one-third of its corn production. Farm animals are unable to adapt to heat stress. There are restrictions on farming activities during peak hours, and storing and transporting goods is a challenge. Farmers will need to start diversifying crop patterns. Given the strength of farmer lobbies in the EU, implementation of such plans may see pushback. For millions in the Global South, adapting to heat stress has become a way of life. As extreme heat becomes Europe’s new normal, it must also learn to build resilient societies.

The writer is fellow, Centre for Social and Economic Progress