France confronts a cooling crisis as heatwaves turn lethal

Only one in four French households currently possesses air conditioning, a stark contrast to the United States where 90 percent of homes are equipped. This deficit has proven fatal: 85 percent of those who died during the recent spike were over the age of 65. Medical staff report that hospitals, which often lack cooling, are becoming hazardous environments for both patients and personnel. The situation in education is equally dire, with only 14 percent of schools featuring air conditioning, forcing closures when buildings without proper ventilation or shutters become untenable.

Political discourse is shifting under the pressure of these recurring emergencies. Marine Tondelier, leader of the Green Ecologists, recently broke with party tradition to admit that cooling is now essential for public infrastructure. This marks a significant departure from the prevailing view that air conditioning is an environmental vice that exacerbates global warming through high energy use and greenhouse gas leaks. Despite this pivot, public sentiment remains cautious; eight out of ten citizens still view the technology as harmful to the planet. Government policy, historically focused on insulation and natural ventilation, now faces a reckoning as doctors and citizens demand immediate relief from mounting summer heat.