During the COP28 climate summit currently held in Dubai, a total of 63 countries, including the United States (U.S.), Canada, and Kenya, joined together to make a commitment known as the Global Cooling Pledge. This historic pledge focuses on significantly reducing emissions related to cooling, such as refrigeration for food and medicine and air conditioning. The participating countries have pledged to decrease their cooling-related emissions by at least 68 percent compared to 2022 levels by the year 2050. Additionally, the pledge includes various other targets, such as establishing minimum energy performance standards by 2030. John Kerry, the U.S. climate envoy, expressed the goal of reducing cooling-related emissions across all sectors while simultaneously improving access to sustainable cooling during the COP28 summit.
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Reduction of 3.8 billion metric tons of emissions
According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), implementing the recommended measures is projected to result in a reduction of 3.8 billion metric tons of emissions from conventional cooling practices by 2050. Additionally, it is estimated that the adoption of these measures will lead to substantial savings of $22 trillion in power costs and power generation investments.
Importance of collaborative efforts
Showing support for the Global Cooling Pledge, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, the President of COP28, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to enhance energy efficiency, decrease emissions from the cooling sector, and expand access to sustainable cooling. He highlighted the significance of providing this access to vulnerable communities that have contributed the least to climate change but are the most vulnerable to its impacts.
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