Additional air-conditioning in buildings and other spaces, which is also driven by rising incomes, population growth and urbanization, means that the world could use more than double the electricity it does now to stay cool, leading to more planet-warming emissions, according to research released by the United Nations on Tuesday.
“Extreme heat is now the deadliest weather event in my country at least, but this is true in many other places,” said John Kerry, President Biden’s climate envoy, who joined representatives from other nations in Dubai to discuss the pledge.
He added that finding ways to cool down in climate-friendly ways was critical. “We want to lay out a pathway to reduce cooling-related emissions across all sectors and increase the access to sustainable cooling.”
If current trends hold, 10 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 could come from air-conditioning and other efforts to keep cool, the U.N. report said.
“The cooling sector must grow to protect everyone from rising temperatures,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program. “But this growth must not come at the cost of the energy transition and more intense climate impacts.”
