America’s ambivalence about wearing masks has played a part our Covid-19 woes. But there’s another factor beginning to receive a closer look as the virus tears through some of the hottest parts of the U.S.: Our zealous – and rather unusual – insistence on living and working in spaces that are largely sealed off from the outdoors.

As the world heats up, converting to energy-efficient cooling systems is a major way to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change, according to a new report from the U.N. Environment Programme and the International Energy Agency.

As COVID-19 cases rise rapidly throughout the South, some scientists believe there could be an important, but overlooked factor in the spread of the virus in the region--air conditioning.

With temperatures in Europe and everywhere else soaring, demand for air con is booming. The extra power demand may cause a vicious circle on warming.

A landmark report from the United Nations’ scientific panel on climate change paints a far more dire picture of the immediate consequences of climate change than previously thought and says that avoiding the damage requires transforming the world economy at a speed and scale that has “no documented historic precedent.”

Forget coffee. Air-conditioner maker works on service to jolt drowsy workers awake with cool air

Air-conditioning, once hailed by the late prime minister Lee Kuan Yew as the greatest invention of the 20th century, threatens to compromise the wealthy city-state’s comfortable way of life. Are there better ways to cool the tropical metropolis?

Already a staggering 2.2 billion people, 30 percent of the world’s population, are at risk of potentially deadly heat exposure for more than 20 days per year; and by 2100, up to three-quarters could experience this risk. Comfort cooling, such as air conditioning, is no longer a luxury, but increasingly a necessity for health, productivity, and at the extreme, survival.

The rapid growth in their use makes it urgent to limit the damage.

Extreme heat recently melted roads in the U.K.; hit a record-shattering 120°F in Chino, Calif.; and led to more than 70 deaths in Quebec. These cases illustrate a vexing paradox for scientists and policymakers: air conditioning keeps people cool and saves lives but is also one of the biggest contributors to global warming.

But there is growing concern that as other countries adopt America’s love of air-conditioners, the electricity used to power them will overburden electrical grids and increase planet-warming emissions.

There’s no single solution for climate change, but there is one that would be more effective than others. What do you think it is?

New efficiency regulations set to go into effect in less than one year

Forbes

An exclusive interview with AHRI’s Stephen Yurek

“But there’s still a lot more work to do.”

US Department of Energy

Associations, manufacturers, reclaimers hail international phasedown agreement

New York Times