Charles Dennery: 'Why it is urgent to air condition France'

Economist Charles Dennery is urging France to shed its aversion to air conditioning, arguing that the country's reluctance is increasingly out of step with global realities and poses a risk to public health.

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Air conditioning should not be a marker of the right.

Dennery points out that air conditioning is a standard feature in many other countries, citing Singapore's decision to equip public buildings with it for administrative productivity and Spain's ongoing efforts to deploy it in schools. In contrast, France has historically viewed air conditioning as a luxury, particularly outside the Mediterranean coast, and often dismissed its necessity.

However, Dennery contends that the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves necessitate a reevaluation. He criticizes the "passive adaptation" of buildings as insufficient to shield the most vulnerable populations. Furthermore, he warns that the prevailing environmental discourse in France, which often discourages air conditioning, could inadvertently penalize lower-income families, children, and the elderly, who are most susceptible to heat-related illnesses.

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In Singapore, its founder Lee Kuan Yew decided to equip all public buildings with it because it was a question of administrative productivity.

The economist suggests that the French public's negative perception is partly fueled by extreme examples, such as American supermarkets set to 16 degrees Celsius on scorching summer days. While acknowledging the validity of such criticisms, Dennery insists that a balanced approach is needed to ensure adequate protection against rising temperatures without succumbing to wasteful practices.

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In France, outside the Mediterranean coast, it has long been considered superfluous; in the past, this was often justified.