Environment & Climate
Air conditioning saves thousands of U.S. lives annually but accelerates global warming, study finds
A study in Nature Health estimates that cooling systems saved over 50,000 U.S. lives over a decade, even as surging global demand threatens to worsen carbon emissions.
The short version
- A new study published in Nature Health estimates that air conditioning saved an average of 5,267 lives per year in the United States between 2010 and 2020.
- The rising demand for cooling is projected to triple electricity usage for air conditioning, potentially driving global cooling-related greenhouse gas emissions from 4.5 billion to 7.2 billion tons over the next 25 years.
- International experts and governments are seeking ways to balance life-saving cooling needs with environmental goals, with some countries already placing limits on public office thermostat levels.
Key facts
- A Nature Health study analyzing 30 million U.S. death records found that air conditioning saved nearly 58,000 lives between 2010 and 2020, with the most lives saved in southern states.[Associated Press]
- United Nations officials estimate that approximately 500,000 people globally die from extreme heat each year.[Associated Press]
- The International Energy Agency and the UN Environment Programme project that global electricity demand for cooling will triple.[Associated Press]
- A global energy crunch has prompted eight countries—including Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines—to restrict air conditioning levels or mandate weekly shutoffs in public offices.[Associated Press]
- U.S. cooling degree days, a metric for heat-related energy demand, have grown by 28% since 1990, while European cooling degree days have more than doubled in the same timeframe.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains to be seen whether international climate coalitions like the Global Cooling Pledge, which meets in September, can successfully coordinate equitable cooling solutions without compounding global emissions.[Associated Press]