China is already shaping the future of cooling. As the world’s largest manufacturer of cooling equipment, it has the industrial scale, technical capacity and market reach to influence how fast efficient, affordable and climate-friendly cooling can move from innovation to deployment.

A recent UNEP mission to China, joined by the Cool Coalition, explored how that scale can support wider global impact, from high-efficiency technologies and solar-powered cooling to standards, testing and South-South cooperation.

At the centre of the discussions was the message that buildings and cooling are where the energy transition will be won or lost. As electricity demand rises and grids come under pressure, reducing what buildings demand from the grid is becoming as important as expanding clean power supply.

Cooling is a major part of that challenge. Rising temperatures, urbanisation and income growth are driving demand for cooling across the world, particularly in emerging economies. Without a shift toward efficient, climate-friendly and resilient solutions, cooling demand risks increasing energy stress, emissions and costs.

The mission highlighted three promising areas for cooperation.

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First, Chinese manufacturers are developing solar-powered cooling systems with battery storage for off-grid and weak-grid environments. These solutions are especially relevant for rural communities in Africa and South Asia, where access to reliable and affordable cooling is urgently needed for homes, health facilities, food systems and livelihoods.

Second, cooperation is advancing on high-efficiency cooling technologies that combine renewable energy, storage and advanced system design. These approaches can reduce electricity demand while strengthening resilience in some of the hottest and most vulnerable regions.

Third, partnerships on testing, standards and training are taking shape. These are essential foundations for scaling deployment across emerging markets, ensuring that efficient cooling products are not only manufactured, but also tested, trusted, maintained and used effectively.

The visit also placed cooling within the wider buildings and energy agenda. In Shenzhen, Biosphere 3 offered a practical example of demand-side thinking embedded in building design from the outset. Founded by Wang Shi, who built Vanke into China’s largest residential developer, the project points to the role that developers, architects and manufacturers can play in reducing energy demand before it reaches the grid.

Passive design, shading, ventilation, thermal mass, efficient equipment, solar power and battery storage all form part of this wider shift. Together, they can help buildings stay cooler, reduce peak demand and provide flexibility to energy systems under increasing stress.

The Cool Coalition will continue building on these partnerships to support the deployment of sustainable cooling solutions worldwide. China’s manufacturing depth and policy ambition make it an indispensable partner in the global cooling transition, with strong potential to support South-South cooperation and accelerate access to efficient, affordable and climate-friendly cooling in emerging markets.

As heat risks rise and energy systems face growing pressure, sustainable cooling is no longer a narrow technology issue. It is a development, resilience and energy transition priority. China’s role will be critical in determining how fast solutions can move from innovation to scale.