The German Environment Agency (UBA) and GIZ Proklima announced the Green Cooling Summit 2026, a virtual two-day conference focused on why R290 adoption in room air conditioning remains slow despite the refrigerant's proven climate and efficiency advantages.
The summit takes place on 19 and 20 May 2026, running from 14:00 to 18:00 CEST on day one and from 09:00 to 13:00 CEST on day two. The event is organised on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Simultaneous interpretation will be available in Spanish and French.
This year's central question is why the market transition to natural refrigerants has not accelerated despite clear technical and environmental arguments. Around 90 million single-split air conditioners are sold worldwide each year, a figure that has doubled over the past two decades. Demand continues to grow, driven by climate change and rising incomes in developing countries.
R290 (propane) carries a GWP of 0.02 and is available for both single-split ACs and commercial chillers, with a growing number of manufacturers now offering R290-based units. Replacing new split AC units currently using R32 (GWP 675, average charge of 1 kg) with R290 or other natural refrigerant alternatives would prevent approximately 61 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent from entering refrigerant banks annually, while also reducing operating costs and improving efficiency for end users.
The summit agenda covers three areas: best practices in current transitions and how to scale them; technology innovations already available and emerging; and dialogue with sector experts on the policy, financing, and regulatory conditions needed to drive wider adoption. Speakers will present scalable technology, tested financing models, and policy solutions applicable to markets at different stages of transition.
Registration is open on official website.