I was surprised to learn that over 90% of homes in France, the UK and northern Europe do not have air conditioning, and that many people were even averse to having it in their homes. What is more shocking is that most public buildings, including hospitals, senior living centers and other places with vulnerable populations don't have a/c either.
Watching a population I thought was highly educated and intelligent struggle seeming to grasp the concept of the necessity of a/c amidst dangerous heat has been perplexing. In European news broadcasts, they were more or less asking, "what is this thing called heat?" and prescribing steps that were as ineffective as putting Band Aids on a cancer. Part of the problem is that their buildings were made to keep heat in and have poor ventilation, which is all the more reason to install some sort of a/c, even the window or portable kind if central air isn't possible. I do wish them the best, and hope they learn to adapt to heat waves.