A heat wave hitting parts of Asia is driving demand for cooling options, especially air conditioning.
Air conditioning units have become a characteristic feature of the urban landscape in many regions of Asia. They are attached like skeletons to towering apartment buildings in Hong Kong, or tucked into rows of building windows in Cambodia.
This provides some relief from the record temperatures that have peaked in recent weeks, with temperatures in many countries reaching 40 degrees Celsius or more.
Scientists have long warned regarding the impact of human-caused climate change, which is triggering more frequent, longer and more intense heat waves.
According to a 2019 International Energy Agency (IEA) report, only 15% of homes in Southeast Asia are equipped with air conditioning.
However, these figures hide significant differences: from around 80% of installations in Singapore and Malaysia, to less than 10% in Indonesia and Vietnam.
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Estimates suggest that with higher temperatures and rising wage levels, the number of AC units in Southeast Asia might jump from 40 million in 2017 to 300 million in 2040.
This will place additional pressure on local electricity capacity, which is already struggling under current conditions.
In Myanmar, electricity production meets only half of daily needs, with the government blaming a lack of rainfall, a drop in natural gas production and attacks on infrastructure.
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In Thailand, electricity demand has peaked in recent weeks, with many people seeking air-conditioned places to escape the heat.
According to the IEA, air conditioning alone is responsible for around one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, out of a total of 37 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide produced worldwide.
However, despite their contribution to emissions, cooling options such as air conditioning remain a key way to protect human health, especially for those most vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat: children, the elderly and people with certain disabilities.
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With demand for refrigeration rising, dozens of countries last year signed the UN’s Global Cooling Pledge, a commitment to improve air conditioning efficiency and reduce emissions from cooling systems.
Several countries have long sought to reduce the impact of cooling.
Japan, for example, since 2005 has encouraged office workers to remove ties and jackets so that air conditioning can be set at 28 degrees Celsius.
The annual “Cool Biz” program became especially important during the 2011 electricity shortage following the closure of nuclear power plants following the Fukushima disaster. (Z-8)
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