With 2024 now confirmed as the hottest year on record, Europe is intensifying its efforts to address the growing demand for cooling. As climate change accelerates, cooling is becoming essential for health and safety, especially in southern regions already facing extreme heat and energy poverty.
At a recent webinar hosted by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), experts from the EU-funded CoolLIFE, PLAN4COLD, and REDI4HEAT projects discussed how to decarbonise heating and cooling systems through policy, innovation, and local implementation.
Heating and cooling account for roughly half of Europe's total energy use. As cooling demand increases, heat pumps – capable of both heating and cooling – offer a promising solution. However, widespread adoption remains limited without coordinated action across different policy levels and sectors.
The European Union is revising its Heating and Cooling Strategy, with an updated version expected in 2026. As part of existing legislation, the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) requires municipalities with over 45,000 residents to prepare local heating and cooling plans. So far, only Germany has fully integrated this requirement into national law.
Pilot projects are being rolled out in several southern European cities, including in Italy, Portugal, and Greece, to trial sustainable heating and cooling systems. Spain and Croatia are also preparing to follow. These initiatives aim to test renewable energy integration in real-world conditions but face challenges including regulatory uncertainty, limited funding, and technical constraints.
Experts at the webinar pointed to several priorities to accelerate progress:
The uptake of renewable energy in heating and cooling remains too slow. While the Renewable Energy Directive sets binding targets, experts argue they do not go far enough.
Effective decarbonisation depends on cooperation across EU, national, and local levels. Local governance must be strengthened to enforce directives, and private-sector investment is needed to support infrastructure upgrades.
A systems-based approach is lacking. Many National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) still treat heating and cooling separately, rather than as interconnected parts of a broader energy strategy.
Data quality remains uneven. Jean-Sébastien Broc from the Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy (IEECP) highlighted the CoolLIFE platform, which offers tools such as city training, technical assistance, and a knowledge-sharing network to help close information gaps and guide decision-making.
Despite clear policies and available technologies, Europe’s success in decarbonising heating and cooling hinges on practical implementation. Experts agree: coordinated action and local engagement are essential to ensure that sustainable heating and cooling become standard across the continent.