Advancing Cooling Commitments at CEM16
Energy systems are undergoing the fastest and most far-reaching transformation in history, but the pace and direction are not yet aligned with global goals for climate and development. International collaboration remains the linchpin for moving from research and demonstration to mass-market deployment of solutions.
Against this backdrop, the UNEP Cool Coalition participated in the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM16) in Busan, Republic of Korea, where governments, business leaders, and financiers gathered from 25 to 27 August 2025 to accelerate clean energy transitions.
The Cool Coalition co-organized the high-level event Cooling Commitments in Action – A High-Level Convening for Scalable Impact together with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) initiative. The discussion examined how countries, industry, and international organizations can translate global commitments into results on the ground, with a focus on three themes: equity and affordability, the role of policy in creating predictable markets, and partnerships that de-risk investment and accelerate scale.
Moderator Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI, opened by framing the urgency of the cooling–climate feedback loop and the need to move from ambition to delivery. Rosalinde van der Vlies, Director for Just Transition, Consumers, Energy Efficiency and Innovation at the European Commission, stressed the importance of embedding cooling within efficiency frameworks and just-transition strategies to send clear signals to markets and consumers. Brian Dean, Director of Energy Transition at Sustainable Energy for All, emphasized that equity must remain central, with solutions designed to reach low-income households and vulnerable communities.
From the Government of the United Kingdom, International Innovation Lead Melanie Jans-Singh underlined the role of pilots and cross-border collaboration in speeding the path from demonstration to deployment. National perspectives were reinforced by Arijit Sengupta, Director of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency at India’s Ministry of Power, who detailed how standards, codes, and programmatic interventions are being scaled to manage cooling demand sustainably.
Industry was represented by Takahiro Asahi, Manager of External Relations at Daikin Industries, who highlighted the responsibility and opportunity of manufacturers to bring high-efficiency HVAC solutions to market and avoid locking in emissions for decades.
Chloé Rosset, Partnerships Engagement Lead for the UNEP Cool Coalition, tied these strands together, underscoring that only through the convergence of policy, finance, and technology can pilots evolve into systemic impact.
Closing reflections from Sungjin Oh, Policy Analyst at SEAD and IEA, echoed the urgency of collaboration, noting that solutions already exist, momentum is building, and collective effort can make sustainable cooling a shared global right.
Beyond the high-level event, the Cool Coalition advanced its agenda through bilateral meetings with governments and partners. These discussions reinforced commitment to the Global Cooling Pledge, the world’s first collective commitment to reducing cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050, while also expanding equitable access to cooling. They also advanced coordination on Beat the Heat in Cities, a new initiative co-developed with Brazil’s COP30 Presidency to mobilize urban action on extreme heat, and explored next steps for the Enabling Pledge Implementation for Cooling (EPIC) Facility, designed to provide targeted technical assistance and de-risk investment in Pledge signatory countries.
The Cool Coalition’s presence in Busan underscored that sustainable cooling is no longer a marginal issue but a development and resilience priority. With cooling demand expected to triple by mid-century and risks of extreme heat escalating, the path forward depends on aligning policy frameworks, finance, and technology to deliver solutions at scale. CEM16 showed that momentum is building and that through collaboration, sustainable cooling can become a global right rather than a privilege.