In Rome, air conditioning is a left-wing affair

In France, air conditioning is a right-wing affair. In Rome, it’s a left-wing one. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri has announced an agreement with eleven cinemas which, during the hottest hours of the day, will offer two free screenings a day of a selection of films (subject to availability). In addition, a number of venues will be opened, including libraries, study rooms, the Teatro Argentina and the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. A commendable initiative for culture? Perhaps: but above all, a measure to enable Romans – particularly the most vulnerable – to find shelter from the heatwave by gaining free access to well-air-conditioned spaces.

As Gualtieri explained, “it is a way of protecting oneself from high temperatures, but also of combating the loneliness that affects so many people, especially in summer. And it is also an opportunity to promote cinemas, which are valuable cultural institutions in which Rome City Council continues to invest”.

On a cultural level, Rome’s mayor is once again demonstrating that he prioritises pragmatism over ideology (just yesterday, Il Foglio reported on his battle over waste-to-energy plants). A mayor’s immediate priority is to keep his citizens safe: and if, in order to cool buildings, a little energy must be consumed and a few emissions generated, then adaptation to climate change takes precedence over mitigation. It may not flatter the egos of the filmmakers to know that audiences were drawn more by the air conditioning than by the artistic merit of their works; but perhaps, by serendipity, they will find new fans. On a different note, let’s hope this is a first step and not just a one-off: it’s all very well to open cultural venues in the summer, but the council should also take action on buildings housing nurseries, schools and other public facilities, which are often unliveable in both hot and cold weather. Securing the necessary funding won’t be easy, but breaking down the wall of prejudice that has been heaped upon air conditioning in recent months is even harder. Let us move forward.