Europe Finally Embraces Air Conditioning as Heat Waves Hit Hard

As Europe sweats through another summer of record-high temperatures, much of the continent is undergoing a rapid and often tense transformation.

Once seen as an American excess or Mediterranean necessity, air conditioning is becoming a fixture of life in places where it was long considered a luxury or even unwelcome. The shift reflects a new climate reality: Extreme heat is no longer rare across much of Europe. It’s increasingly the new norm.

Europe might not be prepared to cope. Power grids — many designed for milder climates — are already under strain. On the hottest days, electricity demand spikes ...