As demands for cooling soar, the Global Cooling Watch report shows the need for sustainable cooling solutions. The report forecasts a tripling of the installed capacity of cooling equipment worldwide by 2050, contributing to a doubling of electricity consumption and a surge in emissions to 6.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2050.

This surge poses a dual threat to climate change: an increase in indirect emissions from power-hungry cooling equipment and direct emissions from refrigerant gases. The study recommends strategies to reduce cooling demand in buildings and cold chains through improved insulation, reflective surfaces, and nature-based solutions, aiming to cut demand by 24% by 2050.

Moreover, higher energy efficiency norms for cooling equipment are needed, pushing for almost triple the average efficiency of equipment by 2050 to reduce electricity use. Lastly, there is the urge to a faster phase-down of climate-warming hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants beyond existing agreements, aiming to halve HFC emissions in 2050.