RC 

Self-quiz

The geopolitics of air-conditioning

1.The article calls Europe the region where heat kills most disproportionately. What makes that striking?

2."All that might seem to lead to a straightforward political calculus: more AC for everyone, everywhere." What does calculus mean here?

3.Marine Le Pen wants more air-conditioners in French schools and hospitals; Mélenchon says cooling everything would only "increase the damage." What is the underlying disagreement?

4.Why do power cuts tend to cluster during heatwaves rather than being spread evenly through the year?

5.The article describes state-owned electricity firms in places like India and Pakistan sinking into a "self-reinforcing spiral." How does that loop work?