The gap in productivity between the United States and Europe is growing. Air Condition

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Picture this: it’s a scorching summer day in the U.S. You wake up in a cool, comfortable room after a solid night’s sleep. You head to work, where the temperature is optimised for concentration. Unless you step outside for a lunchtime walk, you’re completely protected from the heat.

Now picture the same scenario in an average European city. You wake up after a night of tossing and turning. You’re sticky, uncomfortable, and already dreading the commute. Jammed on a crowded train, you suffer through a heavy delay as your city’s transport infrastructure struggles in the face of extreme temperatures. If you’re working from home, the only relief comes from a fan slowly circulating warm air around the room.

The fundamental difference between these two realities? Air conditioning.

In the U.S., 90% of households have AC. In Europe? Just 20% on average. In some countries, such as the UK, that number falls to less than 5%.

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Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth. Across the primarily AC-free nations, heat waves can (and increasingly do) shut down schools, disrupt businesses, and make it impossible for people to function at their best. Employers are forced to shift working hours to protect staff from the heat, those with caring responsibilities struggle to look after the most vulnerable (children, the elderly) and families are caught in a daily battle for comfort and efficiency. This climate vulnerability isn’t just inconvenient, it’s a serious threat to economic competitiveness.

Economists are already warning that Europe’s failure to adapt to a hotter future could dampen its growth prospects. Tourism too looks set to suffer.

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