Dr Tim Fox, lead author of the report, said “In the absence of a whole-of-government, muti-sector, CNI level approach to policymaking on cooling infrastructure, governments risk failing to lay the foundations for well-adapted, climate-resilient cooling provision. This will create vulnerability, low national resilience to rising temperatures and more frequent severe heatwaves, and risks to services that are vital to the food, health, industrial, digital, and economic security of a country and well-being of its citizens.

“Services, the integrity of which if compromised, can lead to loss of life and significant economic and social impacts, leading to a reduced ability of a State to function and potentially societal breakdown. The stakes could not be higher. Clean Cooling starts with action to reduce the demand for cooling and deliver efficiency improvements in systems providing it, while ensuring access to cooling for everyone.

It encourages behavioural change; better use of passive cooling and using very low global warming potential refrigerants in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. However, the report highlights that, while these interventions are essential, given the growth in cooling demand, they alone cannot achieve the required reductions in energy usage, emissions, and pollution.”

Report co-author and Deputy Director, Centre for Sustainable Cooling Dr Leyla Sayin commented: “We need a radical shift in policy to devise more ambitious strategies for achieving reductions in cooling demand. Governments must accurately assess how much cooling we need in an ever-warming world, whilst ensuring no one is left behind.

“Clean Cooling is about future-proofing society and ensuring a more sustainable relationship between humans and the planet we call home — a place where we not only survive but need to thrive. Our starting point must be recognising cooling as critical national infrastructure.”

The report was launched at an event jointly hosted by the Centre for Sustainable Cooling and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) at IMechE’s Headquarters in London.