Brazil, Italy announce new push and funding on cooling action ahead of COP30

Bonn, 13 June 2025 – Brazil and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today launched a new initiative to address extreme heat through sustainable cooling - Beat the Heat in Cities/Mutirão contra o Calor Extremo - while Italy pledged EUR 2 million in new funding for the Global Cooling Pledge, supporting action on a major contributor to climate change ahead of the COP30 climate summit later this year.

“Sustainable cooling will be a top priority at COP30 because cities, climate, and billions of people depend on it. Through Beat the Heat, our goal is to turn cities into engines of adaptation, drive implementation of the Global Pledge, and make sure no one is left behind as extreme heat accelerates,” said H.E. Ana Toni, CEO of COP30.

The announcements were made in Bonn, Germany, at the first Global Cooling Pledge Signatories Focal Points Meeting. Launched at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Presidency and the UNEP Cool Coalition, the Global Cooling Pledge (GCP) is the world’s first collective commitment to cut cooling-related climate impact by 68 per cent by 2050, and to extend affordable access for  all who need it.

The world has just logged its third year in a row of record-breaking heat, underscoring that extreme heat is now at the sharp edge of climate change. UNEP’s Global Cooling Watch 2023 warned that if current trends continue, rising cooling demand alone could add 6.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050, while more than a billion people still lack access to cooling to keep food, medicine and economies viable.

“Sustainable cooling is a core adaptation lever and is a course-correcting mitigation measure that still keeps us within the 1.5 °C threshold,” said Martin Krause, Director of UNEP’s Climate Change Division. “Integrating cooling in the new national climate plans - or NDCs - will be critical to ensure a holistic approach that aligns climate action with social and economic benefits,” he added.

Brazil has confirmed that sustainable cooling and extreme heat will be a headline priority at COP30 in Belém. Italy also announced new funding for the implementation of the Global Cooling Pledge through UNEP’s new Enabling Pledge Implementation for Cooling (EPIC) Facility. This new initiative which houses both a Technical Assistance Facility and a Fund Accelerator, will channel technical advice and finance to cities. 

“Italy is not only advancing its national targets but also supporting international efforts to translate the Global Cooling Pledge into local action through the EPIC initiative,” stated Mr. Alessandro Guerri, Director General, Ministry of Environment and Energy Security of Italy.

END  

Notes and Resources for Editors

Additional Quotes

We must protect the most vulnerable from extreme heat. The Global Cooling Pledge presents a powerful opportunity to safeguard lives, health, and food security. By bringing back Nature in our cities, we not only address urgent climate mitigation and adaptation needs but also support biodiversity and make our cities more liveable for everyone", stated H.E. Adalberto Maluf, Brazil’s Vice-Minister for Climate Change and co-chair of the Global Cooling Pledge.

“Germany is proud to co-host the inaugural Global Cooling Pledge Focal Points Meeting here in Bonn,” stated Silke Karcher, Deputy Director General for Circular Economy from Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). “This meeting sends a clear signal: action on sustainable cooling must be a central part of our collective climate response.”

“In just 18 months the Pledge has grown to 72 countries and more than 80 non-state partners,” noted H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Al Kaabi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Electricity, Water and Future Energy at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and co-Chair of the Focal Points Meeting. “That uptake shows how quickly the world can move when cooling is recognised as a frontline defence against heat.”

About UNEP 
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the world’s leading authority on the environment. UNEP works globally to address the triple planetary crisis—climate change, nature loss, and pollution—by supporting nations in building low-carbon, nature-positive, and resource-efficient economies.

About the Cool Coalition
Launched as a flagship initiative of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in 2019, the Cool Coalition is a global platform bringing together over 250 governments, businesses, cities, and financial institutions to drive comprehensive action on sustainable cooling and extreme heat. The Coalition advances implementation of the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda, and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol by working across three pillars: advocacy, science, and joint action. It champions a holistic approach to cooling and cold chains in both industrialized and developing countries, promoting passive cooling (i.e. cool roofs, nature-based solutions, better building and urban design), improved energy efficiency, and the rapid phase-down of climate-warming refrigerants. The Cool Coalition also serves as the secretariat to the Global Cooling Pledge.

About the Global Cooling Pledge
Launched at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) by the UNEP Cool Coalition and the COP28 Presidency, the Pledge currently boasts 72 country Signatories and 80 non-state supporters, representing the world’s first collective commitment to reducing cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050, while also expanding equitable access to cooling. It is anchored in the science of the Global Cooling Watch and lays out 14 national targets, including National Cooling Action Plans, passive and nature-based solutions, building energy codes, higher efficiency standards, and refrigerant phase-down.
 

Further resources 

Global Cooling Pledge 

Global Cooling Pledge Focal Points Signatories Meeting

Annual Global Cooling Pledge Progress Report 2024

Global Cooling Watch 2023

For more information, please contact:
News and Media Unit, UN Environment Programme