At the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), delegates urgently urged for widespread adoption of sustainable cooling solutions and strategic use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to combat the escalating climate emergency. AI is already aiding farmers with drought prediction and crop management, though concerns rise over the environmental costs of training large models and powering data centres.
Cooling, essential for survival in many regions, is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Innovations from passive cooling architecture to solar-powered refrigeration are gaining ground, but scaling remains a challenge. Central to COP30 is the Technology Implementation Programme aimed at delivering life-saving innovations to vulnerable populations, though intellectual property, funding, and commercial barriers slow progress.
The launch of the Beat the Heat Implementation Drive by Brazil’s COP30 Presidency, UNEP, and Cool Coalition partners focuses on making cooling accessible and cleaner as heatwaves worsen globally. Cooling demand is set to triple by 2050, with emissions potentially doubling without intervention.
UNEP’s Global Cooling Watch 2025 highlights that passive design, nature-based solutions, and clean technologies could reduce emissions by up to 97% when combined with rapid decarbonization. Cooling infrastructure needs to become essential like water and energy, says UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
More than 185 cities and 72 countries have pledged to support sustainable cooling efforts, especially benefiting those on the climate frontline.
AI, while not part of formal COP negotiations, is making strides via voluntary climate action platforms. Brazil and other UN members are mapping AI’s role in climate resilience, exemplified by Lao PDR’s award-winning AI-powered irrigation system aiding drought-affected areas.
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