Are air conditioners warming the planet?

They are an alternative to the increasingly intense heat caused by climate change. They are found in classrooms, shops and offices, replacing old fans. In France, sales of air conditioning units in the first three weeks of July this year increased by 192% compared to the same period last year. In the coming years, they will become increasingly popular. 

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 10 years, 1 billion air conditioning units will be installed worldwide. If we include refrigerators and other systems that cool food, vaccines or computers, this number could reach 6 billion. And although they can save lives and generate wealth in the hottest countries, their effect can also be exactly the opposite: warming the planet while cooling certain rooms.

Air conditioning is responsible for part of the CO2 generated in the power plants they operate, producing 4 billion tons of CO2, 12% of the total, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). In addition, power plants — some powered by coal or diesel — are activated to meet the consumption of these appliances. This means that the use of air conditioning is leading countries to build not only more plants, but also more polluting plants.

While experts warn about the environmental consequences of air conditioning, studies also suggest interesting benefits. Researcher Solomon Hsiang of the University of California calculated that in the Caribbean and Central America, GDP falls by 1% for every degree above 26°. And in Denmark, studies show that schools with air conditioning in classrooms have improved children’s ability to learn math and languages. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 million deaths could be attributed to rising temperatures by 2050.

Global trends contribute to the widespread use of air conditioning. The proliferation of skyscrapers in developing megacities makes the use of the device almost mandatory. Meanwhile, shopping malls, open-plan offices, and data centers are inconceivable without air conditioning.

In a few years, technology will be one of the main factors responsible for producing devices with clean sources that guarantee the same benefits as air conditioning and reduce the impacts of refrigeration, as temperatures rise around the world.