Why so many Australians are dying from the heat – and how using air conditioning can kill

A study of heat-related deaths in the Northern Territory suggests that air conditioning is ruining the ability to adapt to rising temperatures and that traditional cultural practices may be a better way to stay cool.

The research, published in The Lancet, examined temperature data of deaths in the territory from 1980 to 2020, covering more than 15,800 Indigenous and nearly 16,000 non-Indigenous deaths.

Experts from the Australian National University found that more time spent in air-conditioned spaces makes people more vulnerable to heat-related deaths.

However, despite marked socioeconomic disparity, Indigenous peoples were not more susceptible to heat-related deaths than non-Indigenous peoples.

Lead author Dr Simon Quilty said the findings came despite higher levels of chronic illness, housing inequality and far less access to air-conditioned spaces for Indigenous Australians. He said the discrepancy was probably cultural.

“The social and cultural practices developed by First Nations people over generations, such as reducing physical exertion during the warmer times of the day, are powerful mechanisms to protect human health,” he said.

Warumungu Elder and co-author Norman Frank Jupurrurla said the results should inform housing policy in the NT.

‘Today we still live in humpies as before, our houses are poor and overcrowded… these houses were built for England or the cold country. Houses need to be built here for this hot climate,” he said.

Countries in Europe, such as Spain, that traditionally enjoy siestas, are also experiencing a decline in heat avoidance practice, with a push toward a 9-5, globalized workforce.

Study co-author Aparna Lal said the move was counterproductive and planners should design homes that don’t require artificial cooling.

“Instead, homes in warm climates should be designed to ensure passive cooling where people live comfortably within the prevailing climate while requiring minimal energy costs for cooling,” she said.

Associate Professor Lal said there was an increasing awareness that Indigenous societies and their understanding of climate change provide important insights into climate adaptation

“As extreme hot temperatures become more common in Australia and around the world, perhaps the most important tool we have to adapt to climate change is cultural change,” Professor Quilty said.

“It is time to learn from First Nations people and other societies of the past who used culture as a means to thrive in warm climates. Maybe we should all take a nap when it’s hot, instead of cranking up the air conditioning.’