Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Millions of us are turning to air conditioning to cope with heatwaves. But air con units also emit planet-warming gases and use up power. So are they the best option?
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM
In this show, we hear from Japan, which leads the way in using technology to cope with extreme temperatures.
During heatwaves, the government encourages people to use air conditioning on health grounds and it has been installed in more than 90 per cent of Japanese homes. In Tokyo, there are also misting systems outside shops and stations to keep people cool when they step outside.
Japan is a glimpse into the future because experts say we now need to spend more on cooling our homes than heating them because of climate change.
The surge in air conditioning will put strain on the world’s electricity grids, which are still mostly powered by fossil fuels.
But there are other options – like redesigning houses to include more shading and increase the air flow, or using fans. We could also plant more trees or even change the colours of our homes to reflect more sunlight!
In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Graihagh Jackson talks to BBC Tokyo Correspondent, Kurumi Mori, and Radhika Khosla, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Oxford.
00:34 Is air conditioning the answer to extreme heat?
01:19 Japan's brutal summer
01:58 43,000 people in hospital
03:40 Kokushobi: a new word for brutal heat
04:31 Is the grid coping?
05:11 The Cool Biz campaign
06:36 Flexible hours and working from home
07:16 Uchimizu: throwing water on the streets
07:57 Misting stations and cooling gadgets
09:31 The one-person cooling booth
10:43 Why traditional buildings aren't enough
11:51 Meet Dr Radhika Khosla
12:41 10 new air conditioners every second
13:38 Why "unfortunately"?
14:45 The vicious cycle
14:59 What if the grid goes renewable?
15:55 Are units getting more efficient?
17:29 The problem with refrigerant gases
18:48 Waste heat and urban heat islands
20:05 The cooling hierarchy
21:07 Passive cooling: what comes first
22:50 What you can do to your own home
24:03 Evaporative cooling, green roofs and white paint
Watch more episodes from The Climate Question here 👉 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4dlFahw2svjb6-aW_BVOn4x
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Millions of us are turning to air conditioning to cope with heatwaves. But air con units also emit planet-warming gases and use up power. So are they the best option?
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM
In this show, we hear from Japan, which leads the way in using technology to cope with extreme temperatures.
During heatwaves, the government encourages people to use air conditioning on health grounds and it has been installed in more than 90 per cent of Japanese homes. In Tokyo, there are also misting systems outside shops and stations to keep people cool when they step outside.
Japan is a glimpse into the future because experts say we now need to spend more on cooling our homes than heating them because of climate change.
The surge in air conditioning will put strain on the world’s electricity grids, which are still mostly powered by fossil fuels.
But there are other options – like redesigning houses to include more shading and increase the air flow, or using fans. We could also plant more trees or even change the colours of our homes to reflect more sunlight!
In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Graihagh Jackson talks to BBC Tokyo Correspondent, Kurumi Mori, and Radhika Khosla, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Oxford.
00:34 Is air conditioning the answer to extreme heat?
01:19 Japan's brutal summer
01:58 43,000 people in hospital
03:40 Kokushobi: a new word for brutal heat
04:31 Is the grid coping?
05:11 The Cool Biz campaign
06:36 Flexible hours and working from home
07:16 Uchimizu: throwing water on the streets
07:57 Misting stations and cooling gadgets
09:31 The one-person cooling booth
10:43 Why traditional buildings aren't enough
11:51 Meet Dr Radhika Khosla
12:41 10 new air conditioners every second
13:38 Why "unfortunately"?
14:45 The vicious cycle
14:59 What if the grid goes renewable?
15:55 Are units getting more efficient?
17:29 The problem with refrigerant gases
18:48 Waste heat and urban heat islands
20:05 The cooling hierarchy
21:07 Passive cooling: what comes first
22:50 What you can do to your own home
24:03 Evaporative cooling, green roofs and white paint
Watch more episodes from The Climate Question here 👉 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4dlFahw2svjb6-aW_BVOn4x
----------------
This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel.
If you like what we do, you can also find us here:
Instagram 👉🏽 instagram.com/bbcworldservice
Twitter 👉🏽 twitter.com/bbcworldservice
Facebook 👉🏽 facebook.com/bbcworldservice
BBC World Service website 👉🏽 bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
#BBCWorldService #WorldService #climatechange #airconditioner #heat #heatwave #Japan
