Cooling is central to health, prosperity, and the environment. It can be provided actively (e.g. via air conditioning) or passively (e.g. through cool building design). Applications range from space cooling for buildings, vehicles, and industrial processes, to cold chains for food and medicines. Efficient, climate-friendly cooling for all underpins many Sustainable Development Goals and represents an opportunity to avoid substantial greenhouse gas emissions.

Ensuring cooling needs are met affordably, efficiently, and cleanly, including for the 1.1 billion people who lack access to basic energy services, is a big opportunity to cut emissions while strengthening resilience to a warming world. It also serves other strategic priorities for human well-being, including better health, cleaner air and enhanced food and energy security. Yet, the needle on affordable, efficient and climate-friendly cooling for all is moving slowly.

This guide for civil society is one in a series that is also being disseminated to national and local governments, businesses, and investors to help elevate affordable, efficient, and climate-friendly cooling as an inclusive, impactful, and profitable opportunity for the UN Secretary General Summit in September 2019.