UNEP Asserts Need for Sustainable Cooling

A recent report by (UNFCCC) on the eve of COP 30 stated that – we are in a new era of climate action and ambition. Countries are setting national climate targets and plans to achieve them – that differ in pace and scale to any that have come before. Ten years after we adopted the Paris Agreement, we can say simply – it is delivering real progress. But it must work much faster and fairer, and that acceleration must start now. The scale and severity of the climate crisis have never been clearer. Brutal climate-driven droughts, floods, storms and wildfires are hitting every nation harder each year, wrecking millions of lives and vital infrastructures, taking shreds off GDP and pushing up prices.

However, the opportunities in climate action are monumental. The rewards for those taking strong climate actions are measured in millions of new jobs and trillions in new investment.  As the global shift to clean energy continues to scale, the dividends to follow will be far greater still, as climate action emerges as the economic growth and jobs engine of the 21^st century. Market logic dictates that this clean energy transition will continue at great scale and pace. But an equitable global transition – where every country benefits from clean energy and climate resilience – requires clear policies and plans, across every country and every sector, and more support for many nations, especially those that did least to cause this global crisis.

Observations of the NDC Synthesis Report

This report provides valuable new data, both about progress being made and the major challenges still remaining, although this data is limited to those national climate plans formally submitted by September 30. This new generation of NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) show a step-change in terms of quality, credibility and economic breadth.

According to the transforming outlook, NDCs are increasingly responding to the Global Stocktake (GST), with 88% of countries saying their NDCs were informed by the outcomes of the GST, and 81% indicating specifically how this was the case.

Contextually, the GST, which assesses global progress on the Paris Agreement, provides a framework for increased ambition and action, prompting countries to submit new NDCs that are more aligned with the 1.5°C goal.

Countries are increasingly taking a whole-of-economy, whole-of-society approach, with 89% containing economy-wide targets, and adaptation and resilience are becoming increasingly important. Almost three-quarters (73%) of new NDCs include adaptation components.

Primary focuses of COP30

The mega event is also being called the ‘Implementation COP’ and the ‘Amazon COP’ because it is expected to translate commitments into concrete actions, focusing on areas like energy transitions, forest stewardship and climate finance, – and it is taking place in the Amazon region.

The agenda of the significant event includes:

• Implementation and action: The conference is focused on translating previous commitments into concrete actions – based on the Global Stocktake (GST), which assesses collective progress in addressing climate change.

• New national plans: Countries are presenting new or updated national climate action plans (Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs) to outline their efforts to tackle climate change.
• Climate finance: A major topic is the scaling up of climate finance, with discussions continuing on the ‘Baku-to-Belém Roadmap’ to achieve at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035.
• Specific areas of action: Key focus areas include: – i) Energy, industry, and transport transitions; ii) Protecting forests, oceans and biodiversity; iii) Transforming food systems; and iv) Building resilience in cities and infrastructure.
• Loss and damage fund: The conference is a crucial step for the Fund for ‘Responding to Loss and Damage’ to move from design to operational delivery, with the launch of its first call for funding requests.

Why COP 30 is so special?

• 10^th anniversary of the Paris Agreement: COP30 occurs on the 10^th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, making it a landmark moment to evaluate progress since the agreement was signed.
• The ‘Amazon COP’: For the first time, the conference is being held in the Amazon, which highlights the critical role of tropical forests in the global climate system.
• Addressing a widening gap: The conference takes place against the backdrop of record-breaking temperatures and rising emissions, highlighting the urgency of closing the gap between pledges and practice.

Sustainable cooling can slash emissions and save trillions of dollars

According to the UNEP report ‘Global Cooling Watch 2025’, launched on 11^th November at COP30, the cooling demand could more than triple by 2050 under business as usual, driven by increases in population and wealth, more extreme heat events and low-income households increasingly gaining access to more polluting and inefficient cooling. This would almost double cooling-related greenhouse gas emissions over 2022 levels – pushing cooling emissions to an estimated 7.2 billion tons of CO₂e by 2050 – despite efforts to improve energy efficiency, phase down climate-warming refrigerants and overwhelm power grids during peak load.

Although these are not very new things to us, the time has come when we seriously need to ponder on these. We have to understand that it is not only the governments or corporates – but also every common person has a role to play in mitigating production of carbon-di-oxide or its equivalents.

Amid rising heatwaves and surging cooling demand, adopting sustainable cooling – with a strong focus on passive techniques low-energy and hybrid cooling that combines fans and air conditioners that consume little or no power – could cut greenhouse gas emissions, save trillions of dollars and expand life-saving cooling access to those who need it, stresses the UNEP report.

It suggests adopting a ‘Sustainable Cooling Pathway’, which could reduce emissions to 64% – 2.6 billion tons of CO₂e – below the levels expected in 2050. When combined with rapid decarbonisation of the global power sector, residual cooling emissions could fall to 97% below business-as-usual levels.

Focusing on the action-path that we need to follow, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, said, “As deadly heat waves become more regular and extreme, access to cooling must be treated as essential infrastructure alongside water, energy and sanitation. But we cannot air condition our way out of the heat crisis, which would drive greenhouse gas emissions higher and raise costs. Passive, energy efficient and nature-based solutions can help meet our growing cooling needs and keep people, food-chains and economies safe from heat as we pursue global climate goals. We have no excuse: it is time we beat the heat.”

Before I leave

Although it is too early to comment on the decisions and effectiveness of COP 30, undoubtedly, I hold a very big expectation from the global event.

COP 30 is primarily focused on nation-state obligations and collective action, especially the need for developed countries to meet their climate finance commitments and lead in emissions reductions. While individual actions are important for overall climate response, the official COP 30 agenda and core negotiations stress the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities’, which places greater responsibility on developed nations. Let us watch how they do accept the same.

Again, when I look at the key themes and objectives of COP 30, I feel astonished to understand with the backdrop of so many armed conflicts globally, where all military activities generate significant pollution and cause environmental damage, how COP 30 will ensure a big transformation!

Even now, American President Donald Trump repeatedly dismisses the idea of human-caused climate change as ‘a hoax’.

Russia wants removal of blocks in free trade to have free financial flows to further improve its NDCs…

Unless and until all major powers align themselves completely with the global goal redirecting the geopolitics in favour of humanity, whatever be the concluding promises at COP 30, I hold doubt on the effective implementation of those, also I am afraid that how much we will succeed in limiting the global temperature rise within 1.5⁰C.

By P. K. Chatterjee (PK)