Explore our curated collection of policy briefs and technical reports that illuminate the science, technology and governance needed to cut cooling‑related pollution and mitigate global warming. Stay informed with the latest evidence and actionable insights from leading experts in the field.
Extreme heat is reshaping life in cities. For millions of people, especially in fast-growing urban areas of the Global South, higher temperatures are making it harder to earn a living, attend school, access healthcare, or move safely throughout the day. Extreme urban heat and lack of sustainable cooling is threatening productivity, deepening inequality, and increasing the risk of displacement when communities can no longer cope. Cities cannot afford to treat extreme heat as a seasonal inconvenience. Without action, heat will erode livelihoods and overwhelm urban infrastructure and services. It will fuel unemployment, drive internal and cross-border migration, and put massive demands on energy systems. Cities must act now to manage rising temperatures before it is too late. The Handbook on Urban Heat Management in the Global South, developed by the World Bank in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), offers a practical response. It brings together real examples and strategies from cities that are already tackling extreme heat. It focuses on powerful solutions that are feasible, affordable, and easy to adapt - especially those that expand access to accessible, sustainable cooling.
A practical framework for integrating sustainable cooling into national climate commitments. This guide provides a six-step approach for embedding sustainable cooling into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), supported by case studies and technical tools. It includes guidance on emissions assessments, target-setting, policy design, and implementation of measures such as MEPS, refrigerant phase-down, and passive cooling strategies.
As India and many other countries face intensifying extreme heat, the need for robust, city-level Heat Action Plans (HAPs) has become urgent. In February 2025, the UNEP Cool Coalition partnered with India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to co-host an international workshop focused on advancing HAPs as tools for both emergency response and long-term heat resilience.
Bringing together over 15 Cool Coalition partners and global experts, the workshop showcased best practices such as passive cooling, Urban Heat Island mapping, and the Chief Heat Officer model. Key outcomes included strengthening coordination across governance levels, scaling innovative cooling for vulnerable populations, and integrating sustainable cooling into urban redesign.
The Compendium for Passive Cooling Strategies in Cambodia serves as a practical guide for integrating passive cooling strategies into Cambodia’s building sector. Tailored for architects, engineers, building owners, and professionals in construction and maintenance, it highlights three key types of strategies: site-oriented, design-oriented, and material/technology-oriented measures. Each section offers clear technical insights, practical application steps, and helpful tools to assist in selecting the most effective passive cooling options for projects. Beyond the core strategies, the compendium also includes a material directory and international case studies, providing additional support for the successful adoption of these solutions.
The Compendium was developed and published by the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia. This work was made possible through the technical and financial support of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition, and the ClimateWorks Foundation, whose contributions were crucial to its development.
This first official progress report outlines country actions and sectoral efforts taken in support of the Global Cooling Pledge. It highlights policy updates, implementation milestones, and early results from national commitments, providing a snapshot of collective momentum toward sustainable and equitable cooling. The Global Cooling Pledge Progress Report 2024 was endorsed during the inaugural Cooling Ministerial Dialogue, held at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29).
2030 Global Cooling Pledge Implementation Strategy outlines the strategy that will guide the UNEP Cool Coalition’s approach to supporting the implementation of the Global Cooling Pledge and/or the implementation of the Recommendations of the Global Cooling Watch Report for those countries who are not Pledge signatories, with a view to 2030.
Primarily aimed at the manufacturers and value chains of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, refrigeration systems (e.g. fridges), and the refrigerant gases used in these systems (e.g. hydrofluorocarbons), the guide’s purpose is to share experiences and examples of how cooling businesses have embarked upon their decarbonisation journeys.
It includes a range of practical advice and support to cooling businesses early in their climate journey on the steps, actions and processes needed to achieve Net Zero, and shares best practices to help overcome recognised barriers and material challenges to achieving it.
The guide includes:
The final two sections of the guideline focus on the main sources of GHG emissions for cooling businesses through a heatmap analysis and outline the seven steps that strategically guide decarbonisation efforts, i.e. the Net Zero decarbonisation pathway.
Rising global temperatures mean demand for cooling in homes, workplaces, and across supply chains is accelerating, particularly in developing economies where the impact of extreme heat is already being felt most acutely.
Heat-related deaths are running at an annual average close to 500,000 globally, highlighting the urgency of boosting access to cooling. As well as averting fatal outcomes, ensuring populations have access to cooling – for human comfort as well as preserving perishable goods – means workers are more productive, farmers can deliver produce to market before it spoils and healthcare services can provide lifesaving vaccines.
But more intensive use of refrigeration and air conditioning could trigger surges in energy demand, putting stress on power grids and potentially generating higher greenhouse gas emissions that fuel yet more warming. That means new cooling solutions must be sustainable, based on energy efficient technology and maximizing reliance on so called passive strategies, such as making use of shade, or building with reflective materials.
These come at a cost, however, with passive design as well as new and efficient equipment for space cooling and refrigeration beyond the reach of many firms and households in developing countries. But effective interventions by governments, multilateral institutions, and donor organizations could make the financing and provision of sustainable cooling solutions in developing economies an attractive opportunity for private investors.
A new analysis from IFC and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) finds that the market for sustainable cooling in developing economies is set to more than double over the next 25 years from around $300 billion in annual demand currently. That means the business opportunity for investors will amount to at least $600 billion in annual demand by 2050, most of which will be attributed to active cooling.
The study also finds that adopting sustainable cooling solutions, as opposed to inefficient equipment that uses more power, could cut emerging economy consumers’ electricity bills by as much as $5.6 trillion over the next 25 years. It will also reduce the amount of new investment needed in additional power generation to meet peak electricity demand by $1.8 trillion.
The UN Secretary-General's Call to Action on Extreme Heat brings together the diverse expertise and perspectives of ten specialized UN entities (FAO, ILO, OCHA, UNDRR, UNEP, UNESCO, UN-Habitat, UNICEF, WHO, WMO) in a first-of-its-kind joint product, underscoring the multi-sectoral impacts of extreme heat. In support of the Call to Action, the Global Heat Health Information Network launched a set of Heat Action profiles, mapping heat-related work across 16 UN and international organizations.
The Global Cooling Watch is UNEP's biennial publication on sustainable cooling. The inaugural edition on 2023 presents a data-driven roadmap to achieve near-zero emissions from cooling. It models realistic, high-impact pathways across key sectors and lays out three major pillars for action: passive cooling, energy efficiency, and refrigerant transition. Released in support of the Global Cooling Pledge, the report calls on governments to accelerate solutions that reduce emissions and expand access.
