The air conditioning paradox.
Author: https://medium.com/ Date Posted:13 August 2021
"The International Energy Agency estimates that over the next three decades, the number of air conditioning units installed worldwide will triple to about six billion, producing the following paradox: the more coolers, the more greenhouse gas emissions given the insufficient decarbonization of electric power generation in most countries, creating a vicious circle. In some places, such as cities, this also creates heat islands that can contribute to even higher temperatures. It is estimated that air conditioning systems, although concentrated in a small number of countries, consume around 10% of the world’s electricity, and over the next three decades will generate more than 132 gigatons of carbon dioxide. Many of them, especially the older units, still use HFC gases, whose impact on climate change is much worse than carbon dioxide."
