Leaders from more than 30 countries, along with partners from intergovernmental organisations and civil society, have convened at COP29 to advance the Global Cooling Pledge, an initiative aimed at addressing the growing demand for sustainable cooling solutions.
The Ministerial Roundtable on Delivering the Global Cooling Pledge, co-organised by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition and the UAE COP28 Presidency, underscored the urgency of sustainable cooling to mitigate climate change impacts.
‘A lifeline’
“The Global Cooling Pledge is not just an agreement; it’s a lifeline, with the potential to collectively reduce emissions by nearly 78 billion tonnes by 2050,” commented Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE minister of climate change and environment. “With extreme heat waves and temperatures soaring, sustainable cooling is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for survival and prosperity. The UAE’s commitment to the Pledge is reflected in our national strategies, from pioneering district cooling technologies to phasing out harmful refrigerants.
“By working together, sharing innovations, best practices, and prioritising vulnerable communities, we can break the cycle of heat and emissions, and build a cooler, liveable future for all.”
The Global Cooling Pledge, which was launched at COP28 in Dubai, commits signatories to actions such as enhancing equipment efficiency, adopting passive cooling, and phasing down climate-warming refrigerants.
Last year’s UNEP Global Cooling Watch Report highlighted that passive cooling measures could cut cooling demand by 24% by 2050, avoiding 1.3 billion tonnes of annual CO2 emissions.
At COP29, Grenada became the latest signatory to the pledge, joining 71 countries and 60 non-state actors that have committed to cutting cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050.
‘Increased access’
“As greenhouse gasses continue to rise, so do the intensification of climate impacts, with extreme heat high among them,” added Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP.
“This is why we need to increase access to cooling across the board, to protect human health, reduce inequality and poverty, and allow economies to function. This includes cold chains too, so that we can reduce the 12% of food that is lost and the 25% of vaccines that degrade due to lack of proper temperature management.”
Nationally Determined Contributions
Sustainable cooling has already been embedded in the recently submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by the UAE and Brazil, while Cambodia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Singapore, and Vietnam, have also announced intentions to incorporate cooling into their updated NDCs.
During 2024, some 37 signatory countries indicated their consideration of cooling in their upcoming NDCs.
Other areas of progress includes new National Cooling Action Plans developed by 17 countries, with additional plans in preparation, while three additional countries recently ratified the Kigali Amendment, bringing the total to 163 signatories committed to phasing down high-global-warming refrigerants.
The COP29 roundtable also adopted the 2030 Global Cooling Pledge Implementation Strategy, a roadmap to operationalise commitments and expand sustainable cooling solutions. Financial commitments included $120 million from the Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund for efficient equipment and $15 million from the UK for technology development and vulnerable community protection. Read more here. [Photo: UN Climate Change]
