With the long-awaited COP26 starting in just a few days, we wanted to let you know what cooling-related events are planned for the two weeks in Glasgow. From sustainable cities and cold chains, to energy efficiency and passive cooling, there are lots of great cooling events scheduled at COP26.

Please find a preliminary list of events below. We will update the list as new events are announced and details are confirmed. All times are GMT. 

We hope to see stakeholders from all around the world participate in discussions, announce new commitments to efficient, climate-friendly cooling, and demonstrate the leadership we need to achieve climate and development goals.

 

If you’re involved in a cooling-related event at COP26 and would like to add it to our list, please let us know.

 

Tuesday, November 2nd

Sustainable Cold Chain for the People, for the Planet: Addressing Climate Change, Hunger, and Energy

10:15-11:00 – Nordic Pavilion

Cool Coalition, SEforALL, and Clean Cooling Collaborative

Access to sustainable cold chains is an indispensable element for sustainable agricultural and rural development and reducing global emissions. This event will showcase the global status of cold chains and successful approaches to sustainable cold chains from countries and the private sector, with the goal to inspire accelerated action.

Watch the recording here.

Champion Mayors for Heat Action

15:30-17:00 – Resilience Hub

Atlantic Council

This session will feature mayors who have shown extraordinary global leadership in addressing extreme heat in urban areas. It will be an engaging discussion concerning extreme heat-related infrastructural issues within urban communities, including the accessibility of air conditioning, energy access, air pollution, and heat risk mitigation.

Watch the recording here.

 

Wednesday, November 3rd

Miti­ga­ti­on Po­ten­ti­al of F-Gas Banks Ma­nage­ment and Op­ti­ons for Mar­ket-ba­sed Ap­proa­ches

9:00-10:30 – IETA Business Hub (Virtual)

Green Cooling Initiative, GIZ, and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

Environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient cooling technologies with natural refrigerants are gaining ground, but as we move into the future, we must not forget the huge emissions stocks in our old cooling appliances. This virtual side event provides an overview on global F-Gas banks, potentials of banks management, and options for market-based approaches.

Watch the recording here.

Beat the Heat: Sustainable Urban Cooling for a Climate Proof Future

12:30-13:00 – Nordic Pavilion

Cool Coalition, RMI, Clean Cooling Collaborative, Global Covenant of Mayors, and Mission Innovation

The world’s cities are heating up at twice the global average rate due to urban heat island effect. Cities need to urgently adopt strategies to reduce heat at urban scale and cooling needs in buildings, serve cooling needs in sustainable and efficient ways. This session will showcase tools and solutions cities can use to tackle urban heat in sustainable and comprehensive ways, to protect the people and the planet alike. The Cool Coalition will launch the Sustainable Urban Cooling Handbook, a new tool that provides actionable guidance for cities to organize and prioritize action towards sustainable and equitable urban cooling.

Watch the recording here.

 

Thursday, November 4th

Panel Discussion on Product Efficiency: The World’s First Fuel – Making the Clean Energy Transition Cheaper, Easier and More Cost-Effective

12:00-13:15 – UK Presidency Pavilion 

SEAD Initiative, CLASP, IEA, UK BEIS, and Cool Coalition

This event will showcase how through the reinvigorated Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) Initiative and the UK’s COP26 Product Efficiency Call to Action governments, business, NGOS and consumers are working to double the efficiency of four key appliances by 2030.

Watch the recording here.

Upscaling Energy Efficiency Financing – Identifying and Overcoming the Investment Gap

16:00-17:00 – Brussels Studio

European Commission (DG ENER), EEFIG, and Cool Up

This panel will discuss EEFIG’s recommendations to upscale energy efficiency investments and the related challenges and feasibility in Europe and beyond, including how energy efficiency financing schemes can be scaled up in the sustainable cooling transition. Special attention on sustainable cooling will be given with a focus on the Cool Up programme.

Register here.

Supporting Clean Energy Entrepreneurs

17:15-18:45 – Resilience Hub

CLASP, Efficiency for Access, IEA, ICF, and SEforALL

A just and inclusive energy transition, one that alleviates energy poverty and mitigates climate change, requires an understanding of the needs of local clean energy entrepreneurs. In this one-hour panel discussion, stakeholders will discuss the obstacles and solutions to promoting a thriving local entrepreneurship environment in the off-grid solar sector.

Watch the recording here.

The Ashden Awards 2021

18:00 – COP26 Green Zone & Online

Ashden 

Join Ashden as they reveal the exciting initiatives that can fire us towards a low-carbon future. They will announce this year’s award winners and premiere a film highlighting the personal journeys of nine inspiring pioneers. From clean and affordable energy to new jobs and green skills, the Ashden Award winners show the awesome potential of climate action.

Watch the recording here.

 

Monday, November 8th

Cooler Homes, Stronger Communities

14:00-14:45 – SDG7 Pavilion

Ashden, Clean Cooling Collaborative, and Cool Coalition

Soaring heat creates danger in homes and neighbourhoods around the world, and people already marginalized are at greatest risk. Communities and grassroots innovators are taking action – but how can those in power support cooler homes for all?

Watch the recording here (at 03:09:00).

 

Wednesday, November 10th 

Integrated Urban Climate Action Aligned to 1.5°C: Exploring overlooked opportunities

14:00-15:15 – WWF Panda Hub

WWF Climate

Watch the recording here.

Sustainable and Efficient Cooling for a Warming Planet: Challenges, Opportunities, and Solutions 

16:45-18:00 – Multimedia Studio 3, COP26 Blue Zone

Japan, OECC, Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy, CCAC, and Cool Coalition

As the planet warms, the need for sustainable cooling for all is growing. This event examines how the cooling sector can improve climate outcomes through end-of-life disposal of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), improved efficiency, and increased speed and ambition to phase out high global warming refrigerants.

Watch the recording here.

 

Thursday, November 11th

Cooling: Concrete Options to Raise Ambition and Action – The Case of Cities

10:00-11:30 – French Pavilion

This side-event, organised by France, is an opportunity to highlight the climate impacts associated with the growing need for cooling (air conditioning and refrigeration), due both to the refrigerants used (mostly greenhouse gases) and to the energy consumption associated with the use of equipment.

Watch the live stream here.

(Green) Coo­ling as a Ser­vice 

12:30-14:00 – Online

GIZ Proklima and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

This online event will focus on one particular financing opportunity: Cooling as a Service (CaaS). The business model aims to enable clients to benefit from climate-friendly and energy efficient cooling technologies without the need of an upfront investment. Users pay for the cooling they receive, rather than the physical product or infrastructure that delivers the cooling.

Watch the recording here.

Be Bold: Sustainable Cooling for All

14:00-14:45 – SDG7 Pavilion

SEforALL and Cool Coalition

In a warming world, meeting our climate and sustainable development goals can’t be achieved without providing affordable, clean and climate friendly cooling solutions to address the needs of the most vulnerable. This side event will target policymakers and solution providers that are able to support increasing access to cooling through affordable, clean, and climate-friendly solutions.

Watch the recording here.

Empowering heat action at City Hall: The Chief Heat Officer

19:15-20:45 – Resilience Hub (Virtual)

Atlantic Council and the Extreme Heat Alliance

This session will feature the world’s first three Chief Heat Officers (CHOs) – city officials that plan and implement extreme heat-related policies and actions to protect the city’s population from heat risks. They will comment on the kind of challenges they face and share specific initiatives that are being undertaken in their cities.

Watch the recording here.