About 50-55% of homes have AC in Rome compared to 25% in vancouver, I'm sure it'll get to 70-80% soon enough.
Right now it's unbearable but even 10 years ago you had a fraction of the nights with these temperatures (over 23degrees). People are just slow with change and some older Italians are superstitious about the cold air. With costs being difficult for some on top.
There is also something that doesn't show up in statistics, where in Italy the AC is kept at higher temperatures in public buildings. I am not sure why, I guess the whole "too much temperature difference", yet I have been to 3 gyms this summer and I found the AC grossly insufficient for the heat generated in the gym
Right now it's unbearable but even 10 years ago you had a fraction of the nights with these temperatures (over 23degrees). People are just slow with change and some older Italians are superstitious about the cold air. With costs being difficult for some on top.