Cool Talks Explore the Future of Sustainable Cooling
As the planet warms at an alarming pace, the need for sustainable cooling grows ever more urgent. After 2023 set temperature records, 2024 pushed global heatwaves to new extremes, highlighting how air conditioners and refrigeration, designed to protect people’s health and food supplies, are also driving up emissions and straining energy grids. Without swift intervention, cooling-related emissions could more than double by 2050.
In response, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition has launched Cool Talks, a new webinar series that brings together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to advance solutions for climate-friendly cooling. Its inaugural session, “The Future of Global Cooling: Insights, Challenges & Priorities,” convened on 5 March 2025 and assessed progress since the 2023 Global Cooling Watch, a biennial, data-driven report that lays out strategies for achieving near-zero cooling emissions while ensuring equitable access. Building on those findings, participants also looked ahead to the 2025 edition of the report, examining recent policy shifts, finance opportunities, and emerging technologies to align cooling measures with global climate targets.
Moderator Lily Riahi, Global Coordinator of the UNEP Cool Coalition, opened the webinar by underlining the purpose of Cool Talks. “We want to socialize the importance of the cross-cutting work that cooling necessitates, and highlight key lessons, approaches, and ways forward,” she explained. Riahi set the tone by pointing to the crucial role of scientific data in charting pathways to net-zero cooling, referencing the global survey of all 193 UN Member States, a study that underpins the Global Cooling Watch 2023 and forms the backbone of the Global Cooling Pledge.
In the panel discussion, “Getting to Near-Zero Cooling Emissions,” experts reflected on the Global Cooling Watch 2023 and the IFC-UNEP Cool Coalition Cooler Finance report, debating how best to balance immediate adaptation needs with long-term emissions cuts.
Dr. Radhika Khosla, Associate Professor at Oxford University and Research Director at the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development, opened the panel discussion by examining the evolving policy landscape for sustainable cooling. Although she acknowledged growing awareness, she highlighted that the issue remains largely absent from national climate agendas. With countries gearing up for their third round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0), Dr. Khosla insisted that cooling be explicitly integrated to meet broader climate commitments. “We’ve seen momentum, but policies alone are not enough,” she said. “They must be backed by enforcement, investment, and a clear recognition that sustainable cooling is not a side issue, but central to both adaptation and mitigation.”
Building on the policy dimension, Ray Gluckman, Director of Gluckman Consulting—a specialist technical consultancy in climate change mitigation and refrigeration—and a lead author of Global Cooling Watch, spotlighted key findings from the Global Cooling Watch 2023 and underscoring the rapid rise in cooling demand and its associated emissions. He noted that global stocks of cooling equipment are expected to expand by a factor of 2.8 by 2050, but stressed that fully implementing efficiency measures could cut cooling loads by 24%. Despite this potential, Gluckman warned that current policies and market dynamics still fall short of bridging the gap between escalating demand and necessary emissions reductions. “We know near-zero emissions from cooling are possible by 2050,” he said, “but only if governments and industries act decisively now.” Gluckman underscored the need to expedite efficiency improvements, expand passive cooling strategies, and phase down high-GWP refrigerants.
Shifting to a national viewpoint, Hubert Nsoh Zan, Assistant Manager at the Ghana Energy Commission, offered Ghana’s experience with implementing the Global Cooling Pledge, which unites over 70 governments aiming to cut cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050 through passive cooling, higher appliance efficiency, and a refrigerant transition. He pointed to Ghana’s green public procurement initiative, obligating government agencies to buy high-efficiency cooling appliances, as a crucial step toward market transformation. “Ghana is leading by example, but real progress requires breaking down institutional silos—cooling policy must be mainstreamed across agencies, not left to a single sector,” he said, urging other nations to join the Pledge and harness the forthcoming Global Cooling Watch 2025 for guidance.
Bringing a financial lens to the conversation, Rusmir Musić, Global Cooling Lead at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), zoomed in on the US$600 billion annual investment opportunity in sustainable cooling by 2050, as projected by the IFC-UNEP Cool Coalition Cooler Finance report. He stressed that while private finance is crucial, it relies on robust national policies and market frameworks to thrive. Citing case studies from Africa and East and South Asia, Musić explained how aligning regulations with financial incentives accelerates investment in efficient cooling solutions. “Cooling success depends on integrating finance, policy, and technology to create the right enabling environment,” he remarked. Yet, high upfront costs remain a persistent hurdle for SMEs and smallholder farmers, necessitating business models such as cooling-as-a-service, results-based financing, and risk-sharing mechanisms.
Omar Abdelaziz, Assistant Professor at the American University in Cairo, concluded the panel discussion by emphasizing the need for robust metrics to track global cooling commitments effectively. An internationally recognized expert in sustainable cooling technology and policy, and a lead author of the Global Cooling Watch report, he outlined the methodologies behind both the Global Cooling Watch and the Global Cooling Pledge Progress Report, stressing the necessity of combining quantitative and qualitative data—surveys, industry reports, and policy analysis. Abdelaziz cautioned that inconsistencies in how cooling regulations are interpreted can lead to unreliable data. “Without standardized metrics and transparency, we risk making pledges without real accountability,” he noted, calling for stronger validation processes and stakeholder engagement to ensure accurate progress tracking.
During the Q&A, panelists addressed these financial hurdles in more detail, spotlighting on-bill financing and pay-as-you-go approaches to help consumers manage the costs of efficient cooling systems. They also called for phasing out electricity subsidies that undercut market incentives, arguing that realigning pricing structures can make climate-friendly cooling more accessible, especially in resource-constrained regions.
Closing the session, Axum Teferra, Senior Associate Director at Clean Cooling Collaborative and a member of the Cool Coalition Executive Committee, reiterated the need for wide-ranging cooperation among governments, businesses, and researchers. She emphasized the crucial role the Global Cooling Watch 2025 will play in guiding future steps and invited experts to contribute. “Achieving near-zero cooling emissions is not just about technology—it requires a coordinated, multi-stakeholder effort that ensures policies are implemented, financing is mobilized, and solutions reach those who need them most,” she said. Teferra also hailed Ghana’s leadership as a blueprint for turning pledges into concrete action.
The Cool Talks series continues on 20 March 2025 with “Cooler Finance: Sustainable Space Cooling for All,” featuring deeper insights from the IFC-UNEP Cool Coalition Cooler Finance report and introducing new financing models aimed at scaling climate-friendly cooling solutions worldwide.