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Columnist and Environment

Cool solutions could head off the climate-damaging rush for air con

Demand for air conditioning will only grow as temperatures rise, sending energy consumption soaring. But there are some interesting ways to deal with the issue, finds Graham Lawton

By Graham Lawton

3 July 2024

RXCYW8 Air conditioner units on a roof of industrial building

Air conditioner units on a roof of industrial building

Markus Thoenen/Alamy

As the Paris Olympics and Paralympics approach, there are warnings the games could be the hottest on record, beating the current holder of that dubious title – Tokyo 2020 – and putting competitors at risk of heat exhaustion and potentially fatal heatstroke. In fact, average temperatures in Paris have by 1.8°C since the city last hosted the games a century ago. The reason is obvious.

The organisers are aware of the danger and have fitted an energy efficient of underfloor pipes that carry water to cool the…

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