The tenth anniversary of the Kigali Amendment marks a major milestone in international cooperation on climate-friendly refrigeration and air conditioning. Through the Montreal Protocol, governments and industry have established the regulatory frameworks, technical expertise and partnerships needed to advance the global phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). As cooling demand continues to grow, the next decade will require sustained industry leadership in refrigerant transition, energy efficiency, technology innovation and access to affordable, sustainable cooling.
At the 2026 Global Cooling Pledge Assembly in Singapore, the UNEP Cool Coalition inaugurated Cool Leaders, an initiative recognising leadership by countries, cities and individuals in advancing sustainable cooling and heat resilience.
Building on heightened interest in the inaugural edition, Cool Leaders 2027 will expand to recognise one new category focused on industry. The expansion presents an opportunity to showcase manufacturers demonstrating exceptional leadership in advancing sustainable cooling, while reinforcing the complementary objectives of the Global Cooling Pledge and the Montreal Protocol.
At MOP38, the Montreal Protocol community will be invited to provide input on the criteria for the first Cool Leaders industry recognition. Drawing on the experience of governments, implementing agencies and technical and development partners, this special event will seek perspectives on what constitutes credible industry leadership, which achievements should merit recognition and how these can be measured.
The discussion will also explore potential links with the new UNEP Manufacturing Platform, which aims to connect government policy priorities with voluntary, measurable manufacturer commitments on energy efficiency, refrigerant transition and market transformation. Participants will be invited to consider whether, and how, the Platform's commitments and reporting mechanisms could inform the Cool Leaders industry recognition, while ensuring that the recognition remains transparent, inclusive and grounded in demonstrated impact.
The consultation will gather recommendations from governments and technical and development partners to inform the criteria and assessment approach for the Cool Leaders 2027 industry category, including the potential role of UNEP's Manufacturing Platform. The inputs will be considered in developing the recognition framework ahead of the next Cool Leaders cycle.