Spain Banning People From Setting AC Below 27°C Amid Heatwave? Here’s The Truth

A viral claim that Spain has banned people from setting their air conditioners (AC) below 27°C during Europe’s current heatwave is false.

The claim started circulating on X as a severe heatwave gripped Europe, pushing temperatures to record highs in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland. France and Spain are among the worst-hit countries, where scores of people have died due to the intense heat.

Several users on X claimed that Spain had barred citizens from lowering their air conditioners below 27°C. American entrepreneur and political activist Jeremy Kauffman was among those who shared the claim.

“Sometimes I turn on the AC at night just to use a blanket and fall asleep thinking about Europe,” he wrote in a post. The post included a screenshot that read: “Spain is banning people from setting their air-con below 27°C.” It was viewed more than 800,000 times.

However, there is no evidence that Spain has issued any new order restricting air conditioner use during the current heatwave. A keyword search found no credible local or international media reports about such an announcement.

The viral screenshot appears to be linked to an old report by Time Out, published on August 3, 2022, with the headline: “Spain is banning people from setting their air-con below 27°C.”

According to the report, Spain had passed a decree in 2022 that made it illegal for public places to set air conditioning below 27°C. The rule applied to public buildings and businesses, including airports, cinemas, bars, rail stations, shopping centers and theaters.

It did not apply to private homes. People in Spain were encouraged to follow the same guidance at home, but households were not legally required to do so.

The purpose of the 2022 measure was to reduce energy consumption. Like the rest of the European Union, Spain had committed to cutting energy use by seven percent and reducing its dependence on Russian oil and gas.

The same details were also mentioned in an announcement published on the official website of the president of the Government of Spain and the Council of Ministers on August 1, 2022.

“The Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree-Law on economic sustainability measures, which includes a Shock Plan for Energy Saving and Management in Air Conditioning to reduce energy consumption in administrative buildings, public buildings and shops, and to facilitate compliance with European commitments arising from the conflict in Ukraine,” the announcement said.

The royal decree expired after one year.

Similar energy-saving steps were taken by other European countries in 2022. Germany decided to heat public buildings to a maximum of 19°C and switch off lights around monuments, while France warned air-conditioned shops of fines if they left their doors open.

These measures were introduced to conserve energy during the Russia-Ukraine war.