While air-conditioning protects people from dangerous heat, it also significantly worsens global warming – by 2050 potentially producing more carbon dioxide than the current annual emissions of the United States, a new study reveals.
While air-conditioning protects people from dangerous heat, it also significantly worsens global warming – by 2050 potentially producing more carbon dioxide than the current annual emissions of the United States, a new study reveals.
Scientists have combined climate science, energy modelling, and inequality analysis to create a unique framework using a set of well‑established global ‘storylines’. These Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and Representative Concentration Pathways (SSP and RCP scenarios) are a set of ‘futures’ ranging from strong climate action to high emissions.
The study reveals that, by 2050, air-conditioning use will more than double. Electricity for cooling could reach 4,493 Terawatt-hours (TWh) under mid‑range scenarios, and much more in high‑emissions futures. Emissions from air-conditioning could reach 8.5 Gigatonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (GtCO₂‑eq) per year in the worst‑case scenario — more the current annual emissions of the United States (5.9 GtCO₂‑eq).
Read more at: University of Birmingham
