Europe is <a href="https://climate.copernicus.eu/esotc/2024" target="_blank">warming faster than the global average</a>, and millions of households are already paying the price in health, in bills, and in sleepless nights. Cooling a home has shifted from a comfort issue to a safety question. This article explores what summer energy poverty really means, why air conditioning alone will not save us, and what fair, sustainable solutions look like for citizens, cities, and policymakers.