Background

At COP28, the United Arab Emirates and the UNEP-led Cool Coalition launched the Global Cooling Pledge, the first collective commitment to expand access to sustainable cooling for those who need it most while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024, at COP29, Ministers convened at the first Annual Cooling Ministerial Roundtable to take stock of progress under the Global Cooling Pledge. They adopted the 2024 Annual Progress Report, endorsed the 2030 implementation strategy and appointed Brazil as Co-Chair of Pledge Contact Group, and welcomed the proposal to establish the intergovernmental Committee on Cooling (IGCC) as part of strengthened governance for the Pledge.

This Cooling Ministerial Roundtable at COP30, co-chaired by the COP30 Presidency of Brazil and the COP28 Presidency of the United Arab Emirates, will continue to provide the platform for Ministers and Head of Delegations and partners to take stock of collective progress, adopt key instruments, and launch initiatives that advance Pledge implementation. At this year’s Cooling Ministerial Roundtable, governments will adopt the Intergovernmental Committee on Cooling (IGCC), adopt the Global Cooling Watch Report 2025 with its Annual Pledge Progress Section, adopt the Belém Communiqué on Extreme Heat, and the operationalization of EPIC- the Pledge’s implementation mechanism. In addition, a major milestone at COP30 will also be the launch of the Beat the Heat Implementation Drive, jointly led by the COP30 Brazilian Presidency and UNEP’s Cool Coalition. Officially launched on 11 November in Belém at a high-level event, Beat the Heat serves as the implementation drive for the Global Cooling Pledge and a catalyst for building heat resilience through coordinated national-to-local action. The focus on “Beat the Heat” will continue during this Ministerial Roundtable, where countries will formally welcome the initiative and announce concrete actions and commitments under its framework.

By aligning political leadership with technical solutions, the second Annual Cooling Ministerial at COP30 will reinforce the commitments of the Global Cooling Pledge and continue charting the next phase of coordinated global action on sustainable cooling in the face of intensifying extreme heat.

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Objectives

• Take stock of collective progress under the Global Cooling Pledge and share country achievements.
• Adopt key governance and policy instruments, including the Intergovernmental Committee on Cooling (IGCC), the Belém Communiqué on Extreme Heat, and the Global Cooling Watch Report 2025 with its Annual Pledge Progress Section.
• Advance the Beat the Heat implementation drive to deliver national-to-local impact.
• Activate EPIC as the mechanism to coordinate and support Pledge implementation.
• Highlight country leadership and new commitments to accelerate sustainable cooling.

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Agenda

Opening Address by the Co-Chair (Brazil)
H.E. Marina Silva, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Brazil

Opening Address by the Co-Chair (UAE)
H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates

Welcome Address by the COP30 Presidency
H.E. Ana Toni, CEO of COP30 Presidency

Special Announcements: Commitments of Signatories and Partners

Special Remarks: Global Cooling Pledge Progress and Beat the Heat Implementation Drive
Martin Krause, Director of the Climate Change Division, United Nations Environment Programme

Ministerial Roundtable Dialogue

• Q1: Progress and Achievements

How has your country advanced the Global Cooling Pledge over the past year, including integrating cooling into national climate plans (NDCs, NAPs, or NCAPs), and what key lessons or priorities should inform collective progress under the new Intergovernmental Committee on Cooling (IGCC)?

• Q2: Implementation

How can implementation mechanisms like EPIC and “Beat the Heat” work together to unlock finance, partnerships, and coordinated national-to-local action that accelerates delivery of sustainable cooling and heat resilience?

• Q3: Looking Ahead –Collective Action and Governance

As we move toward next year, how can the IGCC, the new science of Global Cooling Watch Report 2025 and the Belém Communiqué on Extreme Heat, guide the next phase of global cooperation and accountability under the Global Cooling Pledge?

Closing Remark by the Co-Chairs

• H.E. Marina Silva, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Brazil
• H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates

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Resources

• Slide deck
• Photo gallery
• Technical highlight
• Recording
• Summary report

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