In this year of action, strengthening action on efficient-climate friendly cooling is key to achieve a whole-system transformation across energy, health and food while delivering on the climate agenda.
The benefits of transitioning to efficient, climate-friendly cooling are huge: doubling the efficiency of ACs by 2050 can reduce the need for 1,300 GW of additional power generation capacity, equivalent to all the coal-fired power generation capacity in China and India in 2018. Meeting future cooling needs sustainably can reduce the costs of renewable energy build out by up to $3.5 trillion by 2030 and accelerate the net-zero transition by up to eight years.
By expanding access to sustainable cold chain, we can avoid 13 % of total food production that is lost due to lack of refrigeration. Ramping-up of action on efficient, climate-friendly cooling with an emphasis on holistic approaches can do much to ensure a transition to a healthy planet with healthy people.
The event highlighted how action on cooling can simultaneously contribute to the High-Level Dialogue on Energy, Food Systems Summit and the 26th Climate Change Conference. This event also showcased concrete commitments and strategies by countries, private sector and IOs to make this transformation opportunity a reality.