Surviving extreme heat increasingly boils down to this: access to air conditioning | Mark Wolfe

As global temperatures soar, the ability to cope with extreme heat is increasingly determined by access to air conditioning. This summer, record-breaking temperatures in Europe and the U.S. have led to widespread disruption, from closed schools and slowing rail services to escalating wildfires and a spike in heat-related health issues. The divide between countries with the resources to adapt, like widespread air conditioning, and those without is becoming starkly apparent. This divide underscores a growing global inequality in how societies handle climate change, highlighting the urgent need for adaptation measures to protect vulnerable populations.