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New UNEP-Cool Coalition policy toolkit to guide sustainable transition pathways for the RACHP sector

Following the release of the 2nd edition of the UNEP’s Global Cooling Watch Report for which the IIR’s Science and Technology Council (STC) contributed to as reviewers and topical authors, the Cool Coalition with the UNEP Ozone Secretariat released the Sustainable Cooling Policy Toolkit. 

According to the 2025 Global Cooling Watch Report, sustainable refrigeration technologies are available but require a mix of policy instruments to build an integrated framework for the uptake of these technologies and make the global transition happen globally in the RACHP sector. The Sustainable Cooling Policy Toolkit takes a step forward in assisting and guiding policymakers around the world in developing policy frameworks that encourage the sustainable transition of the RACHP sector. 

 

Released on International Clean Energy Day by the Cool Coalition and the Ozone Secretariat, the Sustainable Cooling Policy Toolkit maps policy options in the value chain from manufacturing and building design to use, maintenance, and end of life management. Policy measures and resources are parted in four areas: refrigerant management, energy efficiency, passive cooling solutions, and cross-cutting policies. 

 

For each area, the toolkit compiles a list of key policy interventions to guide “a balanced and comprehensive strategy for an optimal and rapid transition of the cooling sector” in line with the Global Cooling Pledge’s commitments, according to the website. These include the promotion of low-GWP alternatives, energy labels and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), public procurement of passive cooling solutions, cross-government coordination mechanisms, among many other key interventions. 

 

Each key policy intervention is linked to an array of resources from different organisations to browse through for more details on the topic and notably on pathways for implementation and assessment. Aside from key interventions, the tool also allows to filter per type of policy, target group, steps in the value chain, resource type, and region, making it suitable for a global array of users involved in how policy can be structured and implemented to better address RACHP systems and sustainable cooling. 

 

The IIR estimates that approximately 5.4 billion pieces of refrigeration equipment were in operation worldwide in 2024 and that the demand is expected to more than double in developing countries by 2050.¹ In this context, smart and effective policies are needed to help reduce emissions and energy costs while protecting human well-being as populations adapt to extreme heat events. With 79 resources and growing, the Sustainable Cooling Policy Toolkit helps navigate the array of policy options and start contextualising solutions and pathways for specific local circumstances.  

  

The Toolkit is available for consultation and use on the Cool Coalition website. 

 

Sources 

[1] Baha M., Hammami S., Dupont J.-L. The Role of Refrigeration in the Global Economy 3rd edition, 60th IIR Technical Brief on Refrigeration Technologies. International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.18462/iir.TechBrief.04.2025