Air conditioning contributes to climate change, and cities are seeking alternatives to keep cool without it.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) highlights that the global demand for cooling equipment will triple by 2050, leading to increased electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. To combat this, various strategies are being implemented worldwide. In Burkina Faso, a school uses traditional techniques and locally sourced materials to cool the classrooms. In India, painting roofs white and planting trees has significantly reduced temperatures.
The Maldives emphasizes passive cooling measures in building construction, while Cambodia is testing passive cooling strategies to integrate into building regulations. Lastly, revitalizing urban waterways, as seen in Seoul, can lower temperatures and mitigate the urban heat island effect. These examples demonstrate the potential for cooling without relying on air conditioning and reducing emissions.
The Global Cooling Watch Report 2023: Keeping it chill, released on 5 December 2023, highlights the importance of passive cooling alternatives to energy-hungry air conditioners.
The report, produced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), points out that between now and 2050 the global installed capacity of cooling equipment will triple, resulting in a more than doubling of electricity consumption.
Cooling systems, such as air conditioners and refrigerators, pose a double burden on the climate. They contribute to indirect emissions through electricity consumption and direct emissions through the release of refrigerant gases. It is worth noting that these refrigerant gases are often more potent at warming the planet than carbon emissions.
By 2050, unless humanity dramatically lowers its emissions of climate-altering greenhouse gases, close to 1,000 cities will experience average summer highs of 35°C, nearly triple the current number.The urban population exposed to these high temperatures could increase by 800 percent, reaching 1.6 billion by mid-century.
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