‘It’s very dangerous’: Climate change will have a negative impact on the environment, campaigners warn | Rare Techy

If you’ve experienced a heat wave by blasting the air conditioner, you’re not alone.

As the world heats up, many people turn to AC to stay cool.

But these energy-dense, chemical-killing units are causing great harm to the world.

With the number of global wind turbines expected to triple by 2050, experts warn that we need to change course quickly.

This is why – and the best place in Europe choose.

How bad is drunkenness for the world?

Air conditioners use more electricity than any other home appliance. Along with electric fans, they consume 10 percent of the world’s electricity.

The average sector is only one-third as efficient, warns Sophie Geoghegan, a climate campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency, a London-based green NGO.

“These devices are still running for many, many hours a day,” he said.

“When you look at a commercial refrigerator, it’s still running.

“According to the International Energy Agency, by 2050, space will consume as much energy and cooling as all of China and India today.”

Unfortunately, effort is only part of the problem. AC units also leak hydrocarbons (HFC) heaters, gases and solar heating equipment.

The most commonly used refrigerant – R-410A – is 2,000 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

These gases are the “elephant in the room,” warns Geoghegan.

“It’s scary. Depending on how many people buy air conditioners, maybe bad,” he says.

Which countries in Europe are best at controlling air conditioning?

Some European countries have adopted measures to limit their use.

Italy and Spain have introduced AC height regulations in government buildings, including schools. In Italy, it cannot be placed below 25 degrees celsius. In Spain, the lower limit is 27 degrees.

In France, government buildings can only turn on air conditioning if the outside temperature reaches 26 degrees. The country was recently banned gas station from keeping their doors open.

In Switzerland, some cantons regulate the sale of air conditioners. Geneva residents must have a ‘reasonable reason’ to buy an AC, such as some health condition.

Germany has green-procurement standards for public contracts, which require ACs purchased in this way to comply environmental standards.

Countries outside of Europe have struggled to curb excessive gas use.

After the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, energy conservation, or “setsuden,” became a national agenda for Japan.

The country’s Ministry of the Environment suggests that raising the temperature on your air conditioner by just one degree will reduce energy consumption.

In turn, workplaces raise the temperature and encourage workers to wear lighter clothing in the summer.

These are good ideas – but they are “baby steps” according to Geoghegan. We need to work harder.

What can we do about the impact of air on the environment?

The best solution is to design the place where we live so that we don’t need AC to cool us..

Urban planning plays an important role in this. Celebrating trees and green space, positioning buildings to provide more shade and ventilation, and embracing water features are all important.

During the 2007 heat wave, French authorities established community heating zones – air-conditioned areas where people can gather – to reduce dependence on air conditioning. individually.

“A world in which individuals are air-conditioning units is not a stable world,” says Geoghegan.

However, he knows that some people want air conditioning – especially the vulnerable and those who live in extremely hot climates. the world.

In order to meet this demand, governments must be able to hold the industry to legal standards.

This starts with phasing out harmful HFCs and replacing them with other environmentally-friendly refrigerants – such as ammonia, CO2, and hydrocarbons such as propane.

The EU’s ‘F-gas Regulation’ aims to reduce F-gas emissions by two-thirds of 2010 levels by 2030. It is currently under debate.

“The HFC sector in Europe is being restructured by the EU,” Geoghegan said.

“Governments should support a major reform of that law.”

To help consumers choose environmentally friendly options, the Environmental Investigation Agency and Greenpeace have launched the Cool Technologies web site.

The database features best-in-class, HFC-free cooling technologies.

Governments should provide financial incentives to purchase these technologies, mandate eco-labeling on units, and adopt minimum national standards.

“This is a low-hanging fruit,” says Geoghegan.

“The technology is there, we need to be able to legislate for companies to get on board.

“To individuals, I would say – really think about whether you need a ventilator. If you’re going to get one, you should do your homework.”