The day after France recorded its highest temperature of the year, a familiar divide has emerged: between those who can retreat into cooled homes and those who cannot. The country’s heatwave, which pushed thermometers above 40°C in several southern regions, has reignited a debate about air conditioning and its role in an increasingly hot Europe. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the Energy Secretary has used the moment to push for heat pumps as a sustainable alternative.
France’s hottest day this year saw Paris reach 38.5°C, with Lyon hitting 41.2°C. Hospitals reported a surge in heat-related admissions, and the national rail operator slowed trains to prevent tracks buckling. Yet the most striking image was not of record temperatures but of empty streets in wealthy arrondissements, where shuttered windows concealed humming air conditioning units, contrasting with packed public parks in poorer districts where residents sought shade under trees.
Air conditioning ownership in France is around 25 percent, but it is heavily skewed towards higher incomes. The cost of a unit and its electricity consumption remain prohibitive for many. Sociologists point to a growing “thermal inequality” where the affluent can shield themselves from climate extremes while the less well off suffer. This is not merely a comfort issue: extreme heat kills. The 2003 European heatwave caused an estimated 70,000 excess deaths, many in poorly insulated homes.
The French government has faced criticism for not doing enough to protect vulnerable populations. In 2023, it launched a plan to install heat pumps in public housing and subsidise insulation, but progress is slow. Environmental groups argue that air conditioning is a short term fix that exacerbates the problem. Each unit uses potent refrigerants and requires electricity, often from fossil fuels. France, despite its nuclear power, still relies on gas for peak demand during heatwaves.
Across the Channel, the UK’s Energy Secretary has seized on the moment to advocate for a different approach. In a statement following the French heatwave, he urged households to invest in heat pumps. “Air conditioning is a sticking plaster on a broken system. Heat pumps can both cool and heat homes with far greater efficiency,” he said. The UK government has set a target of installing 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028, up from around 60,000 in 2023. Grants of up to £7,500 are available, but uptake has been slow due to high upfront costs and a lack of qualified installers.
The irony is that heat pumps, which work by transferring heat rather than generating it, are essentially reversible air conditioners. They are more efficient in moderate climates but lose efficiency in extreme cold. However, for countries like the UK and northern France, they offer a lower carbon solution for both heating and cooling. The problem is public perception. Many people associate heat pumps with heating alone, not cooling. And in the middle of a heatwave, the instinct is to buy an air conditioning unit off the shelf.
This split between France and the UK highlights a broader global challenge. As the planet warms, demand for cooling will surge. The International Energy Agency estimates that the number of air conditioning units worldwide will triple by 2050, consuming as much electricity as the entire US and EU combined. The refrigerants used in many systems also have a potent warming effect if leaked. The choice before societies is whether to lock in an inefficient, emissions intensive path or to invest in district cooling, passive design and high efficiency heat pumps.
For now, the divide is not just between rich and poor but between nations. France, with its existing nuclear baseload, has some room for air conditioning without immediate carbon penalty. The UK, still heavily reliant on gas, does not. The Energy Secretary’s call for heat pumps is a recognition that the future must be different. But as the mercury rises, patience is thin. People want relief now, not a technological promise for later.
The biosphere does not negotiate. If we continue to use fossil fuels to power inefficient cooling, we will simply heat the planet further. Heat pumps, if powered by renewable energy, offer a way out. But the transition requires political will, investment and public acceptance. In the meantime, the lived experience of a French heatwave is a stark reminder that inequality and climate change are entwined. Those who can buy cool air will do so. Those who cannot will suffer. The question is which future we choose.
