Article written by Clean Cooling Collaborative
Cooling is shaping up to be a hot topic at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), which kicks off next Thursday, November 30, in Dubai. According to the COP28 President, Dr Sultan al Jaber, “We have a unique opportunity to deliver a significant collective response to the cooling challenge,” and the time to act is now.
In recognition of the need for urgent and collaborative action on cooling, some 80 cooling-related sessions are scheduled to take place across the two weeks. Not only has the UN Environment Programme’s Ozone Secretariat curated a program full of interesting sessions at its Montreal Protocol Pavilion, but there will also be a number of other cooling events taking place as part of the official COP28 program and at other pavilions.
Top of the cooling agenda is the launch of the Global Cooling Stocktake report and the Global Cooling Pledge on December 5, the conference’s official Cooling Day.
The Global Cooling Stocktake, which will be debuted at a press conference in the UN Climate Change Media Zone on December 5, will shine a light on the projected global growth in the number of air conditioners and refrigeration equipment and the additional energy use and related emissions they will cause. It will also detail where we are in terms of the global transition to more sustainable cooling. The report will look at the gap between “business as usual” and the goal of achieving clean cooling for all and identify how we can bridge it.
Where the Stocktake looks at the past and present, the Global Cooling Pledge — which will be launched by the COP28 Presidency at a ministerial event on December 5 — looks to the future. It calls on governments and other key stakeholders to commit to action on sustainable cooling, such as accelerating the phasedown of HFC refrigerants, developing a national cooling action plan, establishing increasingly ambitious minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for cooling appliances, and more. We are hopeful that countries will seize the moment by joining the pledge and taking the required actions.
Innovation
Technological innovation is key if we’re to ensure that everyone has access to the cooling they need without massively raising greenhouse gas emissions. From construction materials and techniques that passively cool our buildings to super-efficient cooling equipment, there are several viable solutions being developed.
District cooling offers a highly efficient centralized solution for built-up urban areas, especially new cities being developed around the world. Join the Cool Coalition and partners at 10:45 am on December 1 for their event, Beating the Heat in Cities: District Cooling Solutions, at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion.
Join Mission Innovation on December 11 at the UK Pavilion for an event on next-generation cooling technologies like the super-efficient room ACs being supported by CCC’s Global Cooling Efficiency Accelerator.
Policy
Policy has a crucial role to play in supporting the adoption of efficient, climate-friendly, and affordable cooling solutions. From ambitious efficiency standards and building codes to F-gas regulations and rebate programs, there are a number of policymaking tools available.
Join CLASP and the Ozone Secretariat at 4:30 pm on December 2 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion for their session: Pathways to Prevent the Dumping of Inefficient Appliances.
On December 9 at 10:45 am, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) will host an event — Accelerating the HFC Phasedown: Examples and Lessons Learned —at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion.
Finance
Financing the transition to energy-efficient cooling for all will require significant investment. Finance for clean cooling will need to come in a range of formats, from funding for demonstration projects and business loans to convert production lines, to consumer finance programs and tax incentives.
Join the Cool Coalition, Clean Cooling Collaborative, and a number of other partners at 9:30 am on December 4 for the Financing Action on Cooling session at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion.
The Montreal Protocol Pavilion will then host an event on Financing the food and energy nexus at 10:45 am on December 4, organized by the Global Food Cold Chain Council, in partnership with the Cool Coalition and UNEP OzonAction team.
Access
It will not be enough just to develop efficient, climate-friendly cooling solutions. They must be rolled out at scale to ensure those who are heat-vulnerable and need them most have access.
One key way to expand access to sustainable cooling is through passive cooling and nature-based solutions. Join the Cool Coalition and partners at 2 pm on December 3 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion for the session Passive Cooling and Nature Based Solutions to Combat Rising Heat.
Other key events
- Tracking the Cool Path: Data for Sustainable Cooling – 12 pm, December 2 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion (The Cool Coalition and SEforALL)
- Global Collaboration for Innovation and Sustainable Cooling: Solutions for Market Transformation – 11:30 am, December 4 in SE Room 8 (NRDC, NEDO, and Griha Council)
- Climate Resilience for All launch – 7 pm, December 4 (Climate Resilience for All)
- The Cool Move! Cold Chain investments in emerging markets to reduce Food Loss and waste – 6 pm, December 5 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion (GFCCC, the Cool Coalition, the MLF, and partners)
- First Movers County Spotlight – 11:30 am, December 6 at the SDG 7 Global South Pavilion (SEforALL and the Cool Coalition)
- Sustainable Food Systems Futures – 1:15 pm, December 6 in SE Room 8 (Viet Nam, Columbia University, and SACAU)
- Strengthening the ozone treaty to secure significant greenhouse gas emission reductions into the future – 12 pm, December 8 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion (EIA)
- Energy Efficiency Outlook to 2100 – 2 pm, December 8 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion (GFCCC, the Cool Coalition, AHRI, and UNEP Ozone Secretariat)
- This is Cool Award Ceremony for Youth Innovators – 2:30 pm, December 8 at the SDG 7 Global South Pavilion (SEforALL)
- Accelerating the HFC phasedown – Examples and Lessons learnt – 10:45 am, December 9 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion EIA)
- First Movers: Cities Leading from the Front on Sustainable Cooling – 11:30 am, December 9 at the SDG 7 Global South Pavilion (SEforALL and the Cool Coalition)
- Improving rural livelihoods with efficient cold chain and cooling appliances – 9 am, December 10 at the SDG 7 Global South Pavilion (SEforALL, CLASP, BASE, and the World Bank)
- Leapfrog to a sustainable agricultural cold chain in low-income economies – 10:45 am, December 10 at the Montreal Protocol Pavilion (IIR)
- Cooling a warming world: Sustainable cooling challenges and opportunities in the global south – 11:30 am, December 10 in SE Room 5 (EIA and CEEW)
A full list of cooling-related events at COP28 can be found here. If you know of any other relevant events that are not included in this list, please email us.
The above includes dates, times, and locations as of the date of the blog release/update. Details are subject to change, and we suggest reaching out to the event organizers or checking the event or pavilion page to confirm.
