The U.K., host of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last month, announced at the event that it was donating £12 million (US$16 million) to help developing countries transition “towards efficient and climate friendly cooling, including natural solutions,” according to the United Nations Environment Programme press release.
The donation was one of a series of steps to reduce the climate impact of the cooling industry announced by the UN-led Cool Coalition. It will be used “to enable developing countries to make rapid progress on reducing hydrofluorocarbons and adopt energy-efficient cooling solutions,” said Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for Pacific and the Environment at the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Goldsmith connected the announced effort with the ongoing projects at the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES). Based in Kigali, Rwanda, and funded by the U.K. and Rwanda, ACES supports the acceleration of the transition to sustainable and marketable cooling technologies in Africa.
Another project on that continent is the EU-funded Sustainable Off-grid solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa (SophiA), launched this year. It aims to use natural refrigerant systems to address the lack of refrigeration and cooling infrastructure hindering the post-pandemic recovery in parts of Africa.
COP26 saw other commitments by both the private and the public sector recognizing the cooling sector’s effects on climate. In fact, not only the direct emissions from refrigerants worry policymakers, but also the inefficient performances of energy-intensive appliances.
In addition, more countries are developing National Cooling Action Plans and including HFC-emissions-reduction measures in their Nationally Determined Contributions, which outline their efforts to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate change.
The U.K. donation will be used “to enable developing countries to make rapid progress on reducing hydrofluorocarbons and adopt energy-efficient cooling solutions.”
Lord Zac Goldsmith, U.K. Minister for Pacific and the Environment
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