00:00As Europe faces record-breaking heatwaves, a new debate has taken hold.
00:04Should countries with traditionally low air conditioning use now embrace ACs to survive
00:09rising temperatures?
00:10For years, many European countries managed without widespread air conditioning because
00:14summers were milder and buildings were designed around that climate.
00:18But with temperatures now crossing dangerous levels, governments are being forced to rethink
00:22their approach.
00:23The choice is complicated.
00:25Expanding air conditioning could provide immediate relief during extreme heat, but experts warn
00:29it also comes with environmental and financial concerns from higher electricity demand and
00:34pressure on power systems to the cost of installing and running cooling systems for millions of
00:38people.
00:39And this is not just Europe's dilemma.
00:40India is facing the same cooling challenge, but on a much larger scale.
00:44As heatwaves become more frequent, air conditioners in India are shifting from a luxury to a necessity.
00:49Rising temperatures, growing incomes and hotter summers have pushed AC demand sharply upward.
00:55According to the International Energy Agency, AC ownership in India has tripled since 2010,
01:00reaching around 24 units per 100 households.
01:03Nearly 10% of India's electricity demand is now linked to cooling needs.
01:07That demand is expected to rise further.
01:10The International Energy Agency predicts that household AC ownership in India could grow ninefold
01:14by 2050, faster than any other major home appliance.
01:18But India's cooling boom comes with its own challenge.
01:21More cooling means more electricity use, higher bills for people and extra pressure on the power supply.
01:26With much of India's electricity still dependent on coal, the need to stay cool risks adding to
01:31the same climate crisis driving these hotter temperatures.
01:34From Europe to India, the question is becoming harder to ignore.
01:37As the world gets hotter, how do we keep ourselves cool without making global warming worse?
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