Europeans favour air conditioning over emissions cuts, poll finds

Given the choice, more people across six major European nations including the UK favour encouraging the adoption of air conditioning over keeping carbon emissions down, a survey has found, the Guardian reported on Monday.

After four extreme heatwaves in as many years, the poll found sizeable majorities who believe it should be easier to install air conditioning in homes. The findings underline a growing tension between climate goals and the immediate comfort of citizens facing ever-hotter summers.

The survey, conducted across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland, comes as Europe logs over 30,000 excess summer deaths, provisional figures cited by scientists who blame man-made climate change for the blistering heat.