On 21 July, the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened a launch webinar for the first Call for Proposals under the EPIC Deploy initiative. The Call marks a procedural milestone in the operationalization of the Global Cooling Pledge, translating the high-level commitments adopted at COP28 and reinforced within G7 and UN frameworks into a tangible, field-level funding mechanism. 

The Call is structured to support pilot-scale demonstrations of innovative, low-climate-impact cooling technologies under real operating conditions. It is open to international consortia combining public entities, private-sector actors, and research institutions. Geographically, the initiative targets five priority countries—Brazil, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, and Ethiopia—with sectoral concentration on the tertiary sector (hospitals, universities, and public buildings) and cold-chain infrastructure, including port logistics and agri-food supply chains. 

The rationale: a widening access and investment gap

The webinar underscored the urgency underpinning the initiative. Cooling is no longer a secondary climate concern but a central determinant of public health, labour productivity, and economic resilience in a warming world. Data presented during the session illustrated the scale of the challenge: 1.1 billion people currently lack adequate access to cooling services, while global financing requirements to close the investment gap are estimated between USD 400 billion and USD 800 billion. Without accelerated deployment of efficient, sustainable solutions, rising demand will drive commensurate increases in energy consumption and refrigerant-related emissions, potentially negating progress under the Paris Agreement and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. 

EPIC Deploy is designed as a direct response to this implementation deficit. By channelling resources through a competitive, results-oriented mechanism, the initiative aims to generate replicable evidence on what works across diverse climatic and economic contexts. 

Funding architecture and selection criteria

The Call establishes a minimum total budget per project of USD 200,000, with a recommended ceiling of USD 1.2 million. Applicants are required to provide a minimum co-financing contribution of 20 per cent, ensuring stakeholder ownership and leveraging additional resources. Selection criteria prioritize technological innovation, operational viability, scalability, and demonstrated potential for emissions reduction and socio-economic co-benefits. 

Institutional perspectives

Opening the proceedings, Alessandro Guerri, Director General for European and International Affairs and Sustainable Finance at MASE, positioned the initiative within Italy's broader industrial and scientific strategy: "The challenge is to turn technological innovation into industrial projects, international partnerships and new growth opportunities. Italy can play a leading role thanks to an industrial and scientific ecosystem that brings together specialised companies, engineering firms, universities and research centres." 

Hongpeng Lei, Chief of the Mitigation Branch at UNEP, framed EPIC Deploy as a key mechanism for closing the policy-implementation gap. He emphasized that the initiative, implemented by UNEP with the support of the Government of Italy, will support innovative projects, foster multi-stakeholder partnerships, and demonstrate scalable solutions that deliver measurable benefits for people, economies, and the climate.

To applicants

The Call for Proposals is now open. Applications are invited from eligible consortia, with further technical guidance and supporting documentation available through the official channels. 

All interested applicants must register to receive the complete call documentation, including: 

  • The official Call for Proposals text 

  • Application forms and budget templates