COP28 President-designate Sultan Al Jaber has urged all the countries to join the global cooling pledge and emphasised the need for a rapid transition to energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 14th Clean Energy Ministerial, alongside the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting on Saturday, the COP28 President urged countries to join the global cooling pledge announced earlier in the year, according to a media statement.
Al Jaber thanked Denmark Minister Dan Jørgensen and Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh for their commitment to being Cooling Champions and urged countries to unite and join the pledge.
In close collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), the Global Cooling Pledge aims to expand cooling to protect the most vulnerable communities, especially in the global south, small island states and least developed countries, from extreme heat, keep food fresh and vaccines safe.
In his remarks, the COP28 President Designate reiterated his commitment to the pledge, saying, "We cannot expand cooling on a business-as-usual basis. Without strong policy action, emissions from the sector will rise between 7 to 10 per cent from today. To solve this dilemma, we need a rapid transition to energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling".
He also highlighted that the cooling dilemma can provide cooling access to those who need it without undermining the energy transition.
"Food and medicine all depend on cooling. It is a topic of critical importance across climate mitigation and adaptation," Al Jaber said.
Cooling is also a matter of climate justice - with heat disproportionately impacting lower-income communities and families, he added.
"In a warming world, sustainable cooling is critical for reducing GHG emissions, protecting against heat stress, enabling productivity, reducing food loss, and enhancing access to healthcare," he said.
Al Jaber said the countries have a unique opportunity to deliver a significant, collective response to the cooling challenge via the Global Cooling Pledge.
"This pledge aims to improve energy efficiency and increase access to sustainable cooling. It is gaining momentum with more than 20 early supporters - including India and Denmark. But there is more to be done," he said.
