[hx87]

> I know for sure that my Eastern-European city (population: ~1.8 million) has enough problems as it is when in the summer heat people turn the AC on at the same time.

I assume though that your city has a district heating system that works fairly reliably in the winter. If that is the case, why can't a district cooling system work just as well? All you need is a source of heat (which you already have, courtesy of district heating) and a heat sink--either cooling towers or a large body of water. If a society is prosperous enough to provide district heat, then it is prosperous enough to provide district cooling.

> in American suburbia where having the possibility to install your own solar-power thingie is totally feasible

It's actually easier in some ways to install solar panels on a residential building in sub-Saharan African country because regulatory restrictions either do not exist or can be circumvented with a wad of cash. A reasonably priced solar setup on a house or flat may not be able to satisfy its entire electrical load, but it can certainly provide enough energy for air conditioning.