A top Paris official is blaming Americans — and the widespread use of air conditioning in the United States — for helping fuel the deadly heat wave gripping Europe after US tourists mocked France’s lack of AC during sweltering summer temperatures.
Audrey Pulvar, Paris’ deputy mayor for international relations, fired back on social media after American journalists and influencers ridiculed the French capital for having relatively little air conditioning as temperatures soared above 104 degrees.
“Dear American journalists and social media ‘influencers’: for days, some of you have been criticizing and making fun of Paris because the city does not have A/C in every room … OMG, this is so rich!” Pulvar wrote.
She argued that Americans share responsibility for the extreme temperatures because the United States is one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters and relies heavily on air conditioning.
“As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing. Your cities, which are 90 percent air-conditioned, are not unrelated to this,” she wrote.
“So please, enough with the lecture. Just start doing your part.”
The online exchange comes as France endures one of the most severe heat waves in its modern history.
France’s public health agency said Sunday that the country has recorded at least 1,300 excess deaths since June 21, cautioning that the preliminary toll is expected to rise as additional data becomes available. Officials said most of the victims were elderly, while morgues in some regions have struggled to keep pace with the influx of bodies.
France has historically resisted widespread air conditioning. Only about 25% of households have AC units, a reflection of environmental concerns, cultural preferences and strict building regulations that have long discouraged installation.
More over at The New York Post:
Paris official blames Americans and their air conditioning for Europe heat wave that has killed 1,300 people https://t.co/N9G6CYfgkn pic.twitter.com/oD3ABBppRU
— New York Post (@nypost) June 29, 2026
