News > A billion new air conditioners will save lives but cook the planet

A billion new air conditioners will save lives but cook the planet

Demand for air conditioners is surging in markets where both incomes and temperatures are rising, populous places like India, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The market is projected to nearly double before 2040. That's good for measures of public health and economic productivity; it's unquestionably bad for the climate, and a global agreement to phase out the most harmful coolants could keep the appliances out of reach of many of the people who need them most.