Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)’s new report, Chilling Prospects: Tracking Sustainable Cooling for All 2025, highlights that over one billion people worldwide face risks due to inadequate access to cooling. Of this number, 309 million live in rural areas with limited electricity access, and 695 million are in dense urban zones where power is unreliable or unaffordable. A significant share of these vulnerable populations are in Africa, where the report warns that, without urgent intervention, 1.05 billion people could be at high risk by 2030.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the lack of sustainable cooling systems threatens lives and development. Inadequate cold chains endanger vaccine efficacy, food spoilage worsens malnutrition, and rising temperatures reduce worker productivity. Nigeria, Sudan, and Mozambique are identified among the nine countries globally most vulnerable to extreme heat.
Cooling demand is growing with rising global temperatures, yet many conventional systems contribute heavily to climate change. Air conditioners and refrigerators use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases, and consume significant energy. If left unchecked, emissions from cooling could exceed 10% of the global total.
Despite the challenges, the cooling sector presents major economic potential. According to the Cooler Finance report by UNEP and IFC, the sustainable cooling market in developing countries could reach USD 600 billion annually by 2050, with Africa expected to see a sevenfold increase. This transition could yield more than USD 8 trillion in benefits over 25 years, including USD 5.6 trillion in electricity savings and USD 1.8 trillion in reduced power infrastructure investment.
International initiatives are underway to support these goals. The Global Cooling Pledge, launched at COP28, includes commitments from over 71 countries—among them Kenya and Nigeria—to cut cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050 and double the efficiency of new air conditioning systems by 2030. Additionally, the Beat the Heat campaign, led by the COP30 Presidency and UNEP’s Cool Coalition, supports cities in deploying sustainable cooling through planning tools, nature-based solutions, and building code updates.
Technological tools are also playing a role. SEforALL and IBM have developed the Open Building Insights (OBI) tool, which uses satellite imagery and AI to assess building energy needs and identify opportunities for passive cooling. In Kenya’s Makueni County, the tool is expected to support improved cooling strategies for approximately 1.14 million residents by 2030.
SEforALL calls for urgent action in three areas: updating National Cooling Action Plans to reflect new technologies and climate realities; creating detailed investment roadmaps to close access gaps—estimated to require USD 400–800 billion globally; and boosting private sector involvement in efficient, affordable cooling solutions tailored for African markets.
As more countries prepare updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), SEforALL stresses that sustainable cooling must be integrated into climate and development strategies. Countries including Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria have already expressed intent to do so.
"Every degree of warming, every heat wave, and every spoiled vaccine reminds us of what is at stake," the report concludes, urging African countries to take coordinated action to protect lives and strengthen economic resilience through sustainable cooling.
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