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.

The poll, conducted after four extreme heatwaves this summer, found sizeable majorities who believe it should be easier to install air conditioning in homes, a preference that complicates Europe's climate targets as the continent warms.

The findings reflect a growing tension between immediate comfort and long-term decarbonisation, a dilemma that is particularly acute in southern European countries like Italy, where summer temperatures have repeatedly broken records.