Air-conditioning was once dismissed as a gimmick that would never work in hot places. Instead, it has quietly reshaped the modern world. In this episode, we explore how cooling has transformed health, productivity and economic growth—from Singapore to the American South—by making cities, factories, data centres and hospitals viable in extreme heat. But the global spread of air-conditioning comes at a cost: soaring electricity demand and powerful refrigerant gases that accelerate climate change. Can the world keep its cool without overheating the planet?

https://www.economist.com/international/2018/08/25/air-conditioners-do-great-good-but-at-a-high-environmental-cost