Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar posted a lengthy statement on Instagram Friday blaming the United States for the deadly heat wave that swept France over the past week, as temperatures in the capital climbed above 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pulvar, who was elected to her position in March, directed her remarks at American journalists and social media users who had mocked Paris for lacking widespread air conditioning. "Dear American journalists and social media 'influencers': for days, some of you have been criticizing and making fun of Paris because the city does not have A/C in every room. OMG, this is so rich!" she wrote.
She pointed to the United States as a major contributor to the conditions driving the heat. "As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing. Your cities '90% air-conditioned' are not unrelated to this. In Paris, we take responsibility," Pulvar wrote.
The deputy mayor argued that air conditioning itself makes the problem worse. Paris has pursued measures to fight air pollution and develop energy-efficient building renovations, and Pulvar said A/C "contributes and aggravates the problem" of global warming. She concluded her post with a direct challenge: "If every American city made the same ecological transition efforts as Paris and many European cities, believe me, the whole world would be better off. So please, enough with the lecture. Just start doing your part. Best regards."
In a follow-up comment on the same post, Pulvar defended the left's policy record in Paris on climate. "If we hadn't done so, the situation today would be much worse. Yes, there is still much to be done. No, the situation is not ideal. But perhaps it would be more appropriate for one of the countries most responsible for the problem not to lecture those who are trying to find solutions for their own populations," she wrote.
The heat wave has had deadly consequences across France, according to Fox News. At least 48 people drowned while attempting to cool off outside designated swimming areas. French authorities responded by imposing alcohol restrictions in public spaces, limiting large public gatherings, and deploying thousands of emergency workers across the country.
Several of Paris's most visited landmarks cut their hours in response to the heat, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, in an effort to protect tourists. Fox News Digital said it reached out to Pulvar and the Paris mayor's office for comment.
