ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Cooling as Critical Infrastructure in the Age of Fire

opinion-review · 2026-08-02

As global temperatures rise, access to cool spaces has become a matter of critical infrastructure, yet only about half of the world's population has such access. The debate over air conditioning has intensified, with heat now firmly established as a global political issue. The article, published in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, explores the controversy surrounding air conditioning, highlighting the tension between the need for cooling in a warming world and the environmental costs of air conditioning systems. It underscores the unequal distribution of cooling access and the political implications of this disparity. The piece does not focus on a specific event but rather offers a broader commentary on the intersection of climate, technology, and society.

Key facts

  • Only about half of the world's population has access to cool spaces.
  • Heat has become a global political issue.
  • Air conditioning is a subject of controversy.
  • Cool spaces are now considered critical infrastructure.
  • The article is from the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  • The debate centers on the environmental impact of air conditioning.
  • Access to cooling is unequally distributed.
  • The piece discusses the politics of heat and cooling.

Entities

Institutions

  • Süddeutsche Zeitung

Sources