As temperatures broke records this summer, sales of air conditioning units soared. But this technology can compound climate change.
Air conditioners pump a gas, known as a refrigerant, around a sealed loop to carry heat out of (and sometimes into) the room. Some of that gas inevitably leaks out over the unit’s working life and when it is scrapped. Unfortunately, many refrigerants are potent greenhouse gases. Worldwide, leaked refrigerants account for roughly one-third of the climate impact of cooling, with electricity used to run the equipment responsible for the rest.
