Italy sees surge in air-conditioning use amid rising temperatures

Rising temperatures in Italy are driving a significant shift in domestic habits, as more citizens adopt air-conditioning despite long-standing cultural resistance. For generations, many Italians avoided artificial cooling due to health concerns, fearing that a ‘colpo d’aria’ (blast of air) could cause respiratory issues, muscle cramps, or headaches.

However, increasing heatwaves have altered this trend. According to the National Research Council, August recently became Italy’s hottest on record. Government statistics show that the percentage of Italian households with air-conditioning rose from under 30 per cent in 2013 to 56 per cent in 2024. This shift coincides with a more than 10 per cent increase in Italy’s average August temperature during that period, leading to faster growth in household energy use for air-cooling than in many other regions.