Sustainable cold chains are essential to reducing food loss, protecting public health, and safeguarding livelihoods in a warming world. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, around 12 percent of all food produced globally, more than 500 million tonnes each year, is lost due to inadequate refrigeration, while the World Health Organization highlights that weak cold chains continue to undermine reliable vaccine delivery, particularly in heat-exposed and low-income settings. Through the Global Cooling Watch and initiatives such as the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain, the UNEP Cool Coalition works with governments and partners to scale efficient, climate-friendly cold chains that strengthen food and health systems while limiting emissions as cooling demand grows.

Objectives

Elevate cold chains as a cross-cutting enabler of sustainable development in addressing food insecurity, public health risks, and climate adaptation.

Match country needs with private-sector innovations.

Position the Global Cooling Watch as a key resource for identifying priority policy levers and financial mechanisms to scale equitable cold chain systems.

Key messages

Sustainable cold chains play a vital role in global food security by reducing post-harvest losses, enhancing nutrition, and ensuring resilient supply chains.

Sustainable cooling is a strategic investment in public health, as it safeguards vaccine integrity, medical supply chains, and hospital resilience amid rising global temperatures.

Extreme heat is an escalating humanitarian emergency, making sustainable cooling essential to national and global climate resilience strategies.