The Global Cooling Pledge, launched at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), addresses extreme heat risks and sustainable cooling demand through a triple strategy: passive cooling, super-efficient technologies, and climate-friendly refrigerants to cut sectoral emissions by 68% by 2050. Reinforced at COP29’s inaugural Annual Cooling Ministerial Meeting, the Pledge prioritizes equitable access to sustainable cooling to protect nations from the impacts of extreme heat, while aligning with the Paris Agreement and biodiversity.
The first Global Cooling Pledge Signatories Focal Points Meeting, held in June 2025, co-hosted by Germany, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), co-chaired by Brazil and the UAE, created an initial space for signatories to engage on practical implementation issues, governance arrangements, and priority capacity-building needs. It also helped identify common challenges and opportunities related to national policy integration, financing, data, and delivery. At COP30 in Belém, signatory countries came together for the 2nd Annual Cooling Ministerial, where they formally adopted the establishment of the Intergovernmental Committee on Cooling (IGCC) as the governing body to track and guide the delivery of the Pledge. A core outcome of this Ministerial was the adoption of the Belém Communiqué on Extreme Heat. To move forward, the Beat the Heat Implementation Drive and the EPIC Facility are recognized as the mechanisms for early-stage technical assistance and subnational action.
Building on this momentum, the Global Cooling Pledge Assembly 2026 will convene Pledge signatory countries, cities, industry leaders, development finance institutions, and technical partners to accelerate the deployment of sustainable cooling solutions and strengthen collaboration across the global cooling ecosystem. The Assembly recognizes that delivery of the Global Cooling Pledge requires the combined force of intergovernmental commitment and all Cool Coalition members. Hence, it will serve as a platform to strengthen collaboration across the cooling ecosystem and showcase practical delivery pathways for scaling sustainable cooling. The Assembly will also introduce the Cool Champions initiative to showcase leadership and concrete implementation, strengthening the global visibility of sustainable cooling and reinforcing its role as a priority sector for climate action and resilience. The Global Cooling Pledge Focal Points Meeting will take place within the Assembly, as the first formal meeting of members of the IGCC. This dedicated meeting will allow signatory governments to take stock of progress, strengthen coordination, and advance implementation of Pledge commitments.
The Global Cooling Pledge Assembly aims to bridge the gap between commitment and delivery by connecting governments with industry, financing, and implementation partners. It will do so by advancing implementation of the Global Cooling Pledge and Beat the Heat, facilitating access to technical and financial support mechanisms (including the EPIC Facility), and showcasing scalable solutions and delivery.