Living with the heat: staying cool without air conditioning

As temperatures continue to rise, extreme heatwaves are becoming an increasingly common feature of summers around the world. While Switzerland is already experiencing the effects, the impacts are particularly severe in the Global South, where access to sustainable cooling solutions is often limited. Finding ways to keep buildings and cities cool without exacerbating climate change is an urgent global challenge.

In this podcast, Mirjam Macchi Howell, Head of the CDE Section at SDC, explains why sustainable cooling matters, explores the paradox of conventional air conditioning, and discusses how Switzerland is contributing to global solutions through multilateral cooperation.