U.S. officials at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai stated that the United States is among at least 60 countries that supported a commitment on Tuesday to reduce emissions related to refrigeration by 2050. The global refrigeration commitment will represent the first collective focus on energy-related emissions from the refrigeration sector. The commitment urges nations to cut their refrigeration-related emissions by at least 68% by 2050 compared to 2022 levels. This is a challenging task as the refrigeration sector is expected to grow with rising temperatures.
Emissions from both refrigerants and energy used in refrigeration account for about 7% of greenhouse gas emissions, and demand for refrigeration energy could triple by 2050. Reuters was the first to report on U.S. support, indicating the likelihood of regulatory processes or incentives for the sector in the United States, as well as increasing pressure on other countries to join the commitment. Officials declined to be named as the information remains confidential. One official mentioned that the U.S. is eager to find ways to enhance the efficiency of refrigeration technologies and phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), gases that contribute to global warming emitted by air conditioners and refrigerators.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a new rule limiting the use of HFCs starting from 2025 to 2028, and it has also proposed requirements for managing, reusing, and repairing equipment that leaks these substances. Brian Dean from the "Sustainable Energy for All" initiative, part of the U.N. Environment Program alliance that established the commitment, noted that Kenya was the first to sign the global refrigeration pledge, followed by at least 59 other countries by Monday afternoon. Organizers hope that at least 80 countries will support the refrigeration commitment due to the risks posed by heatwaves.
In contrast, at least 118 countries supported another pledge at COP28 to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency rates by 2030, which requires less detail and cost than the refrigeration goal. A government official mentioned on Monday, without giving details, that India expressed concerns about the commitment and would not join unless its worries were addressed. A report from The Lancet medical journal last month estimated that deaths from heat stress could quadruple by mid-century. The U.N. Environment Program estimates that global efforts to address refrigeration-related emissions could prevent the release of up to 78 billion tons of CO2 equivalent.
