Paris states Le Pen’s AC strategy full of hot air

(MENAFN) France’s Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher has rejected Marine Le Pen’s proposal to install air conditioning across the country, calling it an ineffective response to climate change that could worsen urban heat, Politico reported.

As southern Europe, including France, struggles with a severe heatwave, Le Pen—former leader of the National Rally—criticized the government for failing to protect citizens. She promised to implement a nationwide air conditioning plan, citing the discomfort faced by students in overheated classrooms.

“The government wants ordinary people to suffer the heat while the elites enjoy AC,” Le Pen posted on X. Her plan has received support from her party, which wants to see AC units installed in schools, retirement homes, government buildings, and private residences.

However, Pannier-Runacher argued that air conditioners would intensify the urban heat problem by pushing hot air onto the streets. “To cool a room, heat has to be expelled somewhere else,” she explained. “This increases urban heat islands.”

Scientific backing supports her position. A 2020 study in Environmental Research Letters found that traditional AC systems contribute to rising outdoor temperatures and may worsen inequality—benefiting wealthier households while making heat conditions worse for those without access.

France has historically been slow to adopt air conditioning due to environmental concerns, cultural skepticism, and perceptions of it being an unnecessary luxury. Instead, government policies have focused on sustainable cooling strategies like tree planting, reflective surfaces, and better building insulation.

Although Le Pen is currently barred from running in the 2027 presidential election due to a conviction for embezzlement, her party continues to promote the AC plan as a public health necessity.

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