Cooling Cities Without Heating the Planet | Financial Times

As cities heat up, sustainable cooling strategies can reduce emissions and tackle climate change.

Rising global temperatures are making cities hotter, increasing the demand for air conditioning, which will soon become a necessity for two-thirds of households globally by 2050. However, this increased use of air conditioners comes with significant environmental challenges, including higher electricity demand and refrigerant leakage, both of which contribute to carbon emissions.

To counteract this, cities are adopting sustainable design strategies such as increasing green spaces, widening streets to improve airflow, and implementing cool roof programs. Cities like Los Angeles have already started painting roads and playgrounds with reflective materials to lower surface temperatures, while suburbs like Wilton in Australia mandate space for trees in new developments to increase natural shade.

Additionally, innovative technologies like BioShade’s hydroponic systems, which promote fast plant growth, are helping to enhance urban shading. In Athens, ancient aqueducts are being used to irrigate green spaces, while France is implementing solar panel installations in large parking lots to reduce the need for air conditioning in parked cars while generating clean energy.

Sustainable cooling is crucial for public health as heatwaves already kill 12,000 people each year, with a third of the global population exposed to dangerous temperatures. The International Energy Agency estimates that sustainable cooling could prevent 460 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, highlighting the urgency of reducing urban heat without exacerbating climate change.

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