Europeans Choose Cooling Over Climate Action in New Survey

A survey conducted after a summer of four extreme heatwaves—which led to thousands of excess deaths—found that between 30% and 52% of respondents had feared for their household’s health when temperatures neared or exceeded 40C (104F) [226057]. Given the choice, a majority in each nation said they favored encouraging the adoption of air conditioning in homes over keeping emissions low [226057]. The poll also revealed that large majorities believe installing air conditioning in private residences should be made easier [226057].

The findings highlight a growing tension between immediate public health needs during record heat and long-term climate goals [226057]. In France, more than 7,300 “extra deaths” were recorded during three heatwaves this year, with experts pointing not only to extreme temperatures but also to cities and health systems that have failed to adapt to the climate crisis [223843].

The heat has also caused practical disruptions across Europe. In Paris, weeks of extreme temperatures left the pitch at Parc des Princes unsafe for play, forcing Paris Saint-Germain to relocate their season opener against Stade Rennais to Rennes [224403]. In Britain, a heatwave has caused metal and plastic in door frames to expand, making doors stick or misalign and preventing them from locking properly, according to locksmith Alan Hickman, who called these “expansion issues” a common callout [223891].

In Madrid, the August heat has made existing problems of poverty and loneliness more visible, with more people sleeping on benches or in cardboard boxes and elderly women sitting for hours in air-conditioned department stores seeking relief [224551]. The lack of services and extreme heat make everything worse, a scene not unique to Madrid but common in European cities of all sizes [224551].