Cool Solutions for a Warming Tamil Nadu
From 4 to 5 February 2025, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition took part in the Tamil Nadu Climate Summit 3.0 in Chennai, India, unveiling its Tamil Nadu Cooling and Extreme Heat Programme. This initiative aims to reduce urban heat stress, improve energy efficiency, and weave sustainable cooling approaches into the region’s broader planning frameworks.
India endures some of the world’s most punishing temperature extremes, with escalating heatwaves posing severe public health risks, exacerbating energy demand, and overburdening urban infrastructure. In his Call to Action on Extreme Heat, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of heat as a silent killer, especially for vulnerable communities, and emphasized its impact on food and water security. Tamil Nadu, India’s southernmost state, with its sprawling urban areas and rapid development, is especially susceptible to the Urban Heat Island Effect, wherein built-up areas absorb and trap heat more intensely than neighboring regions.
During the Summit, the UNEP Cool Coalition presented its Urban Heat Island Effect Study for Chennai, Tamil Nadu’s capital, which identifies how urbanization is driving temperature increases and pinpoints neighborhoods where targeted cooling interventions are most critical. This data-driven analysis underpins the state’s evolving climate resilience strategies, spotlighting the role of energy efficiency, green infrastructure, and nature-based solutions in mitigating heat.
The UNEP Cool Coalition also showcased passive cooling measures—non-mechanical, design-focused techniques, supplemented by nature-based solutions, that reduce energy consumption and reliance on traditional air-conditioning. Cambodia’s success in scaling passive cooling in rapidly growing cities served as a key illustration. Another highlight was a district cooling demonstration, developed with Tabreed, a global leader in district cooling and a key UNEP Cool Coalition partner. District cooling delivers chilled water to multiple buildings through insulated pipelines, substantially lowering electricity usage and emissions compared to standalone systems. To foster further adoption, the UNEP Cool Coalition has established a District Cooling Hub in India, offering policy guidance, technology transfers, and capacity-building support.
An interactive cooling cities game at the exhibit engaged policymakers, students, and community members in exploring different cooling strategies and their respective impacts. The stall attracted significant interest in the Urban Heat Island Effect study and the UNEP Cool Coalition’s broader efforts, including an emerging partnership between Tabreed and the International Finance Corporation. Over the next five years, the partnership aims to deploy 100,000 TR (tons of refrigeration) of new cooling capacity across India.
With a growing portfolio of initiatives in the region, the UNEP Cool Coalition remains focused on expanding district cooling networks, enhancing cold-chain infrastructure, and championing passive cooling within urban resilience plans. By collaborating with governments, private-sector leaders, and financial institutions, the UNEP Cool Coalition is helping India develop and scale sustainable cooling solutions that protect communities, bolster economies, and soften the impacts of a warming climate.