Is air conditioning bad for the planet? The Climate Question, BBC World Service

Millions of us are turning to air conditioning to cope with heatwaves. But air con units also emit planet-warming gases and use up power. So are they the best option? Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 https://bbc.in/3VyyriM In this show, we hear from Japan, which leads the way in using technology to cope with extreme temperatures. During heatwaves, the government encourages people to use air conditioning on health grounds and it has been installed in more than 90 per cent of Japanese homes. In Tokyo, there are also misting systems outside shops and stations to keep people cool when they step outside. Japan is a glimpse into the future because experts say we now need to spend more on cooling our homes than heating them because of climate change. The surge in air conditioning will put strain on the world’s electricity grids, which are still mostly powered by fossil fuels. But there are other options – like redesigning houses to include more shading and increase the air flow, or using fans. We could also plant more trees or even change the colours of our homes to reflect more sunlight! In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Graihagh Jackson talks to BBC Tokyo Correspondent, Kurumi Mori, and Radhika Khosla, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Oxford. 00:34 Is air conditioning the answer to extreme heat? 01:19 Japan's brutal summer 01:58 43,000 people in hospital 03:40 Kokushobi: a new word for brutal heat 04:31 Is the grid coping? 05:11 The Cool Biz campaign 06:36 Flexible hours and working from home 07:16 Uchimizu: throwing water on the streets 07:57 Misting stations and cooling gadgets 09:31 The one-person cooling booth 10:43 Why traditional buildings aren't enough 11:51 Meet Dr Radhika Khosla 12:41 10 new air conditioners every second 13:38 Why "unfortunately"? 14:45 The vicious cycle 14:59 What if the grid goes renewable? 15:55 Are units getting more efficient? 17:29 The problem with refrigerant gases 18:48 Waste heat and urban heat islands 20:05 The cooling hierarchy 21:07 Passive cooling: what comes first 22:50 What you can do to your own home 24:03 Evaporative cooling, green roofs and white paint Watch more episodes from The Climate Question here 👉    • The Climate Question   ---------------- This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel. If you like what we do, you can also find us here: Instagram 👉🏽   / bbcworldservice   Twitter 👉🏽   / bbcworldservice   Facebook 👉🏽   / bbcworldservice   BBC World Service website 👉🏽 https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio Thanks for watching and subscribing! #BBCWorldService #WorldService #climatechange #airconditioner #heat #heatwave #Japan