European summers are getting brutally hot. So why is air conditioning so rare?

As Europe faces increasingly brutal heat waves, many people are struggling without the comfort of air conditioning, which remains uncommon in most homes across the continent. Residents are resorting to electric fans and ice packs to cope with the record-breaking temperatures. This situation raises questions about why air conditioning is so rare in Europe, despite the growing need, and highlights the broader issue of how prepared the region is for future climate challenges. The scarcity of air conditioning underscores potential economic, cultural, and infrastructural factors that may be at play.