Summary of the Key Points
This article challenges the one-sided mockery in China about the difficulty of installing air conditioners due to high temperatures in Europe, pointing out that the low installation rate of air conditioners in Europe is due to reasonable factors such as geographical latitude and the protection of historical buildings. Similar situations exist in northeastern China and Shanghai. It also emphasizes that extreme heat is a common challenge due to global warming, and there is no simple answer to the balance between environmental protection and people's livelihoods; therefore, we should not take pleasure in others' misfortunes.
Detailed Explanation
1. Europe has few air conditioners, not because it's poor, but because they were never necessary in the past
Many people think Europeans are “stupid” for not installing air conditioners despite having money. However, this is because of their high latitude; summers there are naturally cooler. For example, Paris is at 48 degrees north latitude, which is further north than Harbin (45 degrees north latitude), and London is at 51 degrees north latitude, close to Mohe in China. Historically, temperatures in these places rarely exceeded 35 degrees Celsius in summer. In northeastern China, fans were sufficient for cooling during the summer, so why would anyone bother installing air conditioners?
However, in the past decade, due to global warming, extreme heat events have become more frequent, and these once-cool destinations are now facing heat challenges. Both the lack of air conditioning infrastructure and people's unpreparedness are consequences of climate change, not the fault of Europeans.
2. Installing air conditioners in old buildings is difficult, and Shanghai faces the same issue
Many city centers in Europe have century-old buildings (such as the old apartments in Paris). To protect the exterior appearance and structural safety of these buildings, installing air conditioning units requires extensive approval procedures and high costs. This is not a sign of “archaicity” in Europe; similar regulations apply in Shanghai, China. The revised “Shanghai Historical Building Protection Regulations” in 2020 clearly prohibit any changes to the building facades, and in 2023, standards for exterior wall repairs were established, including requirements for air conditioning installations.
In essence, protecting old buildings means sacrificing some convenience, a trade-off that is common worldwide and not unique to Europe.
3. The conflict between environmental protection and cooling: no one is completely right or wrong
Some European parties oppose the widespread installation of air conditioners due to concerns about increased carbon emissions and the exacerbation of the urban heat island effect. In China, people prioritize people's well-being in such situations. Both viewpoints have their merits:
- Europeans worry that more air conditioners will lead to higher carbon emissions and more frequent extreme heat events, creating a vicious cycle.
- Chinese people focus on solving immediate problems caused by the heat.
There is no perfect solution; it’s just a matter of different priorities.
4. Extreme heat is a global issue; mocking others may soon apply to us
Global warming is not unique to Europe. In recent years, temperatures in northeastern China have also reached 40 degrees Celsius (for example, in Liaoning in 2022), and residents in old buildings in Shanghai also suffer during hot summers. If we mock Europe for not having air conditioners, what if our own regions face extreme weather? If we are unprepared for such events, won’t we become the subject of ridicule?
Extreme heat is a challenge for all of humanity. Instead of mocking others, it’s more practical to work together on solutions, such as developing more energy-efficient air conditioners and improving urban greenery.
Final Thoughts
The core message of this article is to practice “empathy.” Many seemingly unreasonable phenomena have specific reasons behind them. We should not blindly envy or mock others but recognize that we are all facing new challenges due to global climate change. Understanding and cooperating together is more meaningful than taking sides and mocking each other.