Air conditioning: saving lives and accelerating net-zero

The world has warmed by about 1.5°C relative to the pre-industrial average, but Europe has warmed faster than any other continent. Temperatures in formerly temperate northern Europe are close to 2.5°C warmer than they were a century ago. By 2080, it is likely that average summer temperatures in southern England will be more than four degrees warmer than they were in 1960.

The same story can be seen in the number of extreme heatwaves. Seeing a 40° summer day in the UK is some 20 times more likely than it was sixty years ago, and within the next decade, it is possible that average daily highs could exceed 28°C for entire months in England.

Britain is not ready for these changes. Worldwide, about 37% of people have air conditioning, compared to only 5% of British households. Half of all UK homes overheat during the summer, and a 2024 study of British schools found that very few had air conditioning.

Ed Hezlet and I wrote a piece for the Centre for British Progress on why air conditioning is essential in Britain - and useful for the UK’s net-zero goals.