New funding is a down payment toward a $100 million goal to accelerate action on harmful super pollutants used in cooling, alongside efforts to enhance energy efficiency

BANGKOK – 15 October 2026 – Climate philanthropies today announced over $36 million in new funding to drive down global cooling emissions, as the world faces record heatwaves and a powerful El Niño that threatens half a million additional deaths linked to extreme heat in the coming months. The funding is part of a $100 million philanthropic effort over four years to reduce super pollutant refrigerants and expand access to energy-efficient, sustainable cooling.

“As demand for cooling grows, so do potential emissions. Targeted philanthropic funding can be a catalytic force in unlocking broader investments in sustainable cooling and fast-acting super pollutant solutions that shield vulnerable communities and advance climate goals,” said Christie Ulman, President of Sequoia Climate Foundation.

Funders of this effort include The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust, The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust, and Sequoia Climate Foundation. The funding, which will go directly to global organizations and initiatives, aligns with a four-year sustainable cooling strategy developed by the Super Pollutant Action Alliance (SPAA) and the Clean Cooling Collaborative.

As heatwaves intensify, cooling is a matter of survival, and demand for cooling equipment is climbing steeply. The world’s air conditioner stock is projected to more than triple by 2050. If left unchecked, emissions will rise in parallel.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), used as refrigerants in air conditioners and refrigeration, are chemicals with thousands of times the climate impact of carbon dioxide and short atmospheric lifetimes. Preventing their emissions delivers major climate benefits, quickly.

“The commitment is a vote of confidence in the treaty that has done more than any other to protect both the ozone layer and the climate, and a recognition that its hardest work is still ahead. The coming few years are a pivotal period for philanthropy, governments, and the private sector to rally together to capture the full benefits of hydrofluorocarbon reduction,” said Claire Henly, Executive Director of the Super Pollutant Action Alliance.

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment, a highly successful treaty to restore the ozone layer and safeguard the climate. Ten years after Kigali, philanthropies are now responding to a call to action for global foundations to continue reducing HFCs and increasing access to sustainable cooling solutions in the critical decade ahead.

“A decade ago, governments committed to more energy-efficient cooling systems and a more equitable world through the Kigali Amendment. Funders came in to back this ambition, showing the full power of philanthropy as a partner to catalyze action. Now, we must lean into an ambitious path for an HFC-free future, unlocked by investing in the next step change in clean cooling. Philanthropy is helping to identify and catalyze at scale the solutions that can protect the communities most affected by extreme heat in Asia, Europe, and beyond, while also ensuring these solutions reduce the climate pollution that continues to drive global warming,” said Helen Mountford, president and CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation.

The new funding will support stronger policies to phase down super pollutants, rapid scaling of climate-safe alternatives in new cooling equipment, and incentives to avoid emissions from refrigerants already in use. Mitigating super pollutants like HFC emissions from cooling, methane, black carbon, and nitrous oxide is three times more effective at reducing mid-century warming than cutting carbon dioxide alone.

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About Super Pollutant Action Alliance

The Super Pollutant Action Alliance (SPAA) strengthens the global super pollutant ecosystem and accelerates emissions reductions by advancing philanthropic learning and collaboration, building capacity, and addressing barriers to action.

About Clean Cooling Collaborative

Clean Cooling Collaborative is an initiative of ClimateWorks Foundation focused on increasing access to efficient, climate-friendly cooling. We aim to make cooling more sustainable and accessible, and to bring efficient technology solutions to the world.