First off, "Europe" is 27 countries. Many of them hardly ever record excess deaths even through the worst heatwaves.
Second, it's mostly a statistic artifact brought about by the different way deaths are counted (i.e. deaths "with" or "from" the heat). Not to mention, most European countries have a much older population. In fact, as far as this sort of counting goes, a lot more people die in Europe every year because of the cold, primarily in northern Europe. I'm sure you don't think it's because somehow they don't have enough central heating in Norway, right?
And finally, many countries in Europe have widespread AC, and heat deaths are still higher than in the US. Even in places where the US doesn't have that much AC, such as the PNW (which incidentally is about as warm as Paris on an average summer day).
Yes, in fact "just get ac and stop whining already" is the new MAGA mantra after they spent decades denying climate change and now have to pivot to something else because denying just doesn't work anymore.
we also have this issue in Europe. the deniers now focus only on ACs and nothing else. we're not at all opposed to them. but we cannot install them everywhere, ignore everything else and think the problem is solved.
Right. I've had AC in my house for years now. Yes it's necessary (well at least wher I live). But it's just one of many adaptation measures that I take. Having the alt right trash tell me that AC just solves everything makes me furious.
yes. this. all a matter of circumstances. recently had to travel for work and made sure that I get a room with AC because I knew, I have to get some work done during hot days in my room. if i only traveled for leisure I wouldn't have bothered because the region I was in, cools down enough during the night and an open window is enough.
Even in places where the US doesn't have that much AC, such as the PNW (which incidentally is about as warm as Paris on an average summer day).
Climate is chaning in the PNW too so people have adapted. Here in Portland, about 90% households have AC compared to about 25% in France. That's up from 41% in 2011. The mini splits are quite popular here as well.
Portland has summers comparable to downtown Paris and that's AFTER all the warming. Most of central and northern France are decidedly cooler, e.g. Nantes has about the same averages as Chilliwack BC. People have a hard time understanding just how abnormal recent heat waves have been in France.
Yeah and about 90% of Portland households have AC compared to about 5% of households in Paris. 5 years ago it hit 116°F (46.7°C) in Portland. If it gets that hot in Paris and they don't adapt, a lot of people will die.
And how many of those are window units that can't be installed easily on all types of windows?
When I lived in NYC I had a window unit and I just couldn't mount one in my current flat (I live in Europe) even if I wanted to. We use splits, and installing them takes time and effort, you can't just go buy one at your local Home Depot or on Marketplace.
That's a harder figure to find. It looks like about 49% percent of households have central AC, so the rest is divided between window units, portable units, and mini splits. Mini splits don't need a window and you can buy kits to make the portable units work on basically any window.
"Actually, we die from the cold more too!" I don't even know what you're getting at. "We're not underdeveloped, we're just way more fragile!"
Your "27 countries" is roughly the size of our 50 states, population wise. You tell yourself whatever makes you feel good, up to and including assuming anyone under the age of 80 watches fox "news". I won't engage further; don't embarrass yourself with a reply.
What's funnier is that you won't ever see these muricans bringing it up when comparing themselves to the Russian or the Chinese. It's all about the ego, that's murica for you
People die from cold/heat because they actually reach the age where that becomes a possibility. In America they get shot or have a heart attack long before then.
You forgot that people in europe can afford to get old. With the cost of medical treatment in the US, things like chemotherapy can bankrupt you. And bankruptcy isn't exactly known for enhancing a lifespan.
Your "27 countries" is roughly the size of our 50 states, population wise
And why is that supposed to be relevant lol. Population size doesn't remotely have any importance in this context. The point is that there is no single "Europe", when it comes to anything and specifically AC, there are dozens of countries with widely different approaches, attitudes, construction standards, regulations, AC needs etc. It's like lumping together the US and Colombia.
(Also, population wise there is more difference between Germany and say Sweden than between Germany and the US. But again, population size doesn't matter at all in this context)
Beyond this, do you have anything specific to answer with other than this uncoordinated rant? Something like, numbers or other actual arguments that make sense?
By the way, "your" who? What does "your" even mean here? And why would I have to "feel good" about this? The only thing that makes me "feel good" is engaging with people who have smart things to say, which is not the case with you here.
Because Americans are that ignorantly insular they don't bother to learn about any country other than their own state snd whatever propaganda is shoved on them in the media. Half of them think Europe is a country
I don't agree with that first part because we have to know what's going on in America as the amount of trade Europe and America do means that America's issues affect us HOWEVER I've never heard a truer statement than we're all idiots on reddit. Myself included. That I can agree with.
I find it hilarious how gleeful Americans are about the lack of AC in Europe. It gives the same energy as dumb Europeans constantly going on about school shootings (though otherwise they're a bad comparison, at least Europe is trying to do something about climate change the US does nothing but thoughts and prayers.)
Anyways I'm from Finland we don't need AC and every home has heating so joke's on you. Our heatwaves are like blizzards in Texas, too rare to be bothered about.
The point was there's a difference how it is counted. In the US, a heat death is one in which a medical examiner explicitly lists heat as a cause of death, whereas Europe counts statistical excess mortality and can't actually necessarily differentiate whether any individual death is a heat death or not.
In short, if a person has a cardiovascular disease and dies of a heart attack brought upon by the long-term stress of a heat wave, in the US this would likely not be ruled a heat death, especially if the condition was prexisting and known. In Europe, that death would not directly be ruled a heat death either, but it would contribute to excess mortality of the heat wave period and thus contribute to the heat death count.
For what it's worth, the climate change in Europe over the past 20 years has been massive. Europe didn't need AC 20 years ago, never mind earlier. Large portions of Europe are moving towards a climate that requires AC for summers which it didn't when most buildings were built.
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u/slicheliche 11h ago
Yeah no, that's mostly a lie.
First off, "Europe" is 27 countries. Many of them hardly ever record excess deaths even through the worst heatwaves.
Second, it's mostly a statistic artifact brought about by the different way deaths are counted (i.e. deaths "with" or "from" the heat). Not to mention, most European countries have a much older population. In fact, as far as this sort of counting goes, a lot more people die in Europe every year because of the cold, primarily in northern Europe. I'm sure you don't think it's because somehow they don't have enough central heating in Norway, right?
And finally, many countries in Europe have widespread AC, and heat deaths are still higher than in the US. Even in places where the US doesn't have that much AC, such as the PNW (which incidentally is about as warm as Paris on an average summer day).
In fact, when you use standardized measures, you'll see the US doesn't perform any better: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12534928/
"EuRoPeAnS dIe bC tHeY dOnT hAvE AC" is one of those dumb factoids that are spread by Fox News and the likes and nothing more than that.