Good morning. Today, our reporters tackle the politics of air conditioning in France. Also:
Plus, are samosas unhealthy?
Air conditioning and the culture wars
It’s August, and Europe is sweltering. Temperatures are expected to surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Spain and France this week. (Track the heat here.) In that kind of heat, many turn to air-conditioning. But in France, feelings about A.C. have suddenly become a political litmus test. Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, declared last month that she would deploy a “major air-conditioning equipment plan” around the country if her party came to power. Marine Tondelier, the head of the Green party, scoffed at the proposal. Instead, she suggested, France should focus on “greening” cities and making buildings more energy efficient. An opinion essay in the conservative Le Figaro defended air-conditioning. The left wing Libération called the technology “an environmental aberration.” “Is air-conditioning a far-right thing?” one talk show asked.
An awfully American amenityFor years, Europeans have viewed air-conditioning as an unnecessary — and awfully American — amenity. But times are changing fast. Much of Europe is now experiencing longer periods of severe heat than it was just 40 years ago, according to data from Copernicus, part of the E.U.’s space program. But air conditioning remains rare. Only about half of homes in Italy have it. In Spain, the share is roughly 40 percent. And in France, it’s just 20 to 25 percent. Those in France who see air conditioning as an evil — mainly on the left — say it’s an example of leaders addressing the symptoms of climate change rather than its causes. Air conditioning should be deployed sparingly for those who need it, they say. Everyone else should focus on solutions that don’t make global warming even worse. Those who support air-conditioning — mainly on the right — say it’s unfairly vilified. France relies primarily on carbon-neutral nuclear energy for electricity, they say. Air-conditioning units leak less polluting gases than they used to. And steps like weather-proofing and better insulation can only help so much. Despite the polarizing debate, there’s actually broad agreement: Few people are clamoring for an A/C unit in every home. Most people agree air-conditioning is necessary in spaces like retirement homes, hospitals and schools. “Most people are in the middle,” said Baudouin de la Varende, the co-founder of a French consulting firm that helps households with energy-efficient renovations. “Air-conditioning is a useful tool.” France’s heated discussion of air-conditioning cooled along with the temperatures in the weeks that followed last month’s heat wave. But increasingly hot summers in Europe mean that the issue is not going anywhere. More on extreme heat: Raging wildfires: Firefighters were struggling to tame blazes in Albania, Greece, Montenegro, Spain and Turkey. Air-con nation: Nearly 90 percent of Americans use some kind of air-conditioning, making it both the cause of and solution to climate woes. Feedback loop: Global electricity use for cooling is projected to double by 2050, driving up greenhouse gas emissions and heating the planet even further “We are enduring, not living”: Inside one man’s day in Karachi, Pakistan, where temperatures regularly exceed 40 degrees Celsius. We’re making changes to this newsletter. Let us know what you think at briefing@nytimes.com.
Restorers in Seville, Spain, gave a statue of the Virgin Mary longer lashes and a smokier gaze. People weren’t happy. “It was like she got makeup,” a resident said. “And the Macarena cannot be made up!” Lives lived: Mario Paglino, 52, and Gianni Grossi, 54, were designers who turned Barbie dolls into rare works of art. The couple died in a car crash in Italy.
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Hands off our samosasWhen a recent Indian government advisory put samosas on a list of high-fat foods like burgers and fries, there was an outcry across the country. Social media erupted with memes, and Indian media chimed in to say that the country’s most iconic bites were under attack. The move was in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign to encourage active lifestyles, called Fit India. But for many, the backlash wasn't about nutrition labels, but cultural identity. A love of the samosa is “ingrained in us,” one cultural historian said. If the government had targeted only burgers or pizza, people wouldn’t have cared, she added. “Samosa is something that is too close to them.” Read more.
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