While national commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have successfully bent the global emissions curve downward, they’re still projected to result in a global temperature rise of 2.6-3.1°C. This is dangerously higher than both the level of warming that scientists advise for a climate-safe world, and the 1.5° C of warming that countries agreed to work toward, as reflected in the Paris Agreement. These commitments, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are in the process of being enhanced ahead of the 2021 climate negotiations in Glasgow, Scotland (COP26).

An important trend is emerging in these enhanced NDCs, a trend that has huge mitigation potential and is critical for adapting to the warming climate and delivering multiple Sustainable Development Goals relating to health, productivity, nutrition, and education. That trend is climate-friendly cooling.

This paper categorizes the types of action that countries can take to enhance their NDCs with climate-friendly cooling. It summarizes the work being done in the 10 countries receiving support from K-CEP’s NDC Support Facility, as well as providing an overview of how an additional 45 countries have included climate-friendly cooling in their enhanced NDCs.