175,000 Europeans annually die from heat-related deaths. This is four times greater than the number of Americans who die from firearms-related deaths (44,000) annually.

As a result, Europeans should mass-adopt this lifesaving technology to withstand warmer summer temperatures—not blame the U.S. for causing heatwaves. 

Today, July 17th, marks the 124th anniversary of the birth of the modern A/C system designed by mechanical engineer Willis Carrier. Unlike others before him, Carrier’s product stood out for controlling both humidity and temperature:

The first set of coils was installed at the Sackett & Wilhelms plant late in the summer of 1902 along with fans, ducts, heaters, perforated steam pipes for humidification, and temperature controls…This system of chilled coils was designed to maintain a constant humidity of 55 percent year-round and have the equivalent cooling effect of melting 108,000 pounds of ice per day.

Here in the U.S., A/C is ubiquitous. Over 90% of U.S. households have A/C or Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units. Although there are legislative and regulatory efforts to regulate refrigerants used in residential cooling units, they have largely been unsuccessful. Air conditioning isn’t controversial; it makes summer tolerable throughout our entire country. That’s why Americans will increasingly rely on A/C for the foreseeable future—including this summer.

New research from the Consumer Choice Center (CCC) found that European regulations are making its citizens vulnerable to heat-related deaths. In their new report, “Keeping it Cool: Removing Hurdles for Air-Conditioning Availability in Europe,” the CCC noted that 27 European Union nations, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland boast some semblance of “facade rules, heritage permits, condominium consent thresholds, energy inspections, and noise ordinances” in order to install A/C units. This is why only 19% of European households have adopted A/C.

Following last month’s extreme heatwaves in Europe, residents on the continent are reconsidering the notion that A/C is a mere luxury and not a necessity. As of this writing, an estimated 14,000 Europeans, primarily those aged 65 and older, have died from extreme heat-related illnesses in the past month. In the United Kingdom, some—including parents with young kids—were being accused of selfishness for wanting to cool down their homes. One Twitter/X commentator suggested this anti-A/C attitude is akin to the environmentalist version of suicidal empathy. 

Last summer, I noted here at Independent Women that Europeans are already warming up to A/C adoption:

… the EU is expected to see installed AC units rise to 275 million by 2050 across its 27 member states—up from 115 million units installed in 2020. This is a substantial increase from 1990, when the continent only had 44 million installed AC units.

In May 2026, the Trump administration terminated regulations impacting refrigerants that would have made A/C units more expensive yet less efficient. Europe, however, isn’t budging on its regulations.

It’s not a choice between air conditioning and conservation of the environment. When asked to sacrifice convenience for virtue signaling, people will choose comfort. This is true of Americans being asked to pay more than a dollar per month to fight climate change. Let’s hope more Europeans adopt this mindset too.