Championing Sustainable Cooling towards a Cool COP28

Date: 25 October 2023                                

Time: 14:00 -15:00 (GMT+3)

Location: Room CR-14, Nairobi, Kenya  

Organizers: United Arab Emirates (UAE) COP28 Presidency, United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP-led Cool Coalition, U.S. State Department (TBC)

This is an official side-event at the 35th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP 35).

Description:

Cooling is one of the most critical blind spots in today’s climate debate and one of the biggest contributors to global warming. Cooling uses refrigerants - many of which are controlled by the Montreal Protocol. If left unchecked, emissions from cooling are expected to double by 2030 and triple by 2050, driven by heat waves, population growth, urbanization, and a growing middle class. 

Against this backdrop and recognizing the adaptation and mitigation benefits of sustainable cooling, the COP28 Presidency of the United Arab Emirates is spearheading the Global Cooling Pledge with support from the UNEP-led Cool Coalition.  The implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) could avoid up to 0.5 °C of global warming by the end of this century. By achieving the Global Cooling Pledge, the climate benefits can be doubled while mitigating 60% of cooling related GHG emissions – or 62 billion tonnes equivalent between 2022-2050. It will also improve access to cooling for resilience to rising heat, greater food security and local development.

This side-event aims to build momentum for global action and increased ambition on sustainable cooling by mobilizing countries to join the Global Cooling Pledge. It will do this by showcasing the COP28 Presidency's efforts to a 'Cool' COP28. The event will include high-level interventions from countries, industry and international financial institutions on their actions on sustainable cooling and their perspectives on the Global Cooling Pledge ahead of COP28.