Sustainable Cooling: The Path to Face Extreme Heat
A world with extreme temperatures is unviable for humans and the ecosystems we know. The health and well-being of millions hang in the balance, and the burden falls heaviest on those in regions already grappling with extreme heat, such as the Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and Central America. Since the 1980s, the MENA region has been warming at a rate of 0.4°C per decade, nearly twice the global average. If current trends persist, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPPC) warns of a future with over 100 days annually exceeding 40 °C.
Already today, temperatures can reach up to 50°C in these regions. Extreme heat impacts the well-being and productivity of a society, severely affecting the health of individuals and the health system itself. The numbers paint a stark picture: heat-related deaths, which stand at 2.1 per 100,000 people annually as per 2023 could soar to 123 per 100,000 annually by 2100.
To mitigate the effects of extreme heat, cooling is essential for the most exposed regions. However, traditional cooling and refrigeration methods rely heavily on energy-intensive technologies, contributing significantly to direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, and in return contribute to rising temperatures. Considering this vicious circle, the world faces a pressing question: How can it cool responsibly?
This is where the idea of sustainable cooling comes into play. A transition to sustainable cooling offers a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, curb energy demand, and build resilience against the harsh impacts of climate change.
The human costs of extreme heat
Rising temperatures pose direct health and other risks for human life. Heat exhaustion, respiratory distress, and vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria are just a few of the dangers linked to soaring temperatures. Vulnerable populations —women, children, the elderly, and those living in poverty— bear the brunt of these impacts. In 2023 alone, infants and adults over 65 endured over 13 billion heatwave-exposed days, a rise of more than 20% compared to 2022.
Indeed, extreme heat disproportionately affects certain groups due to physiological, environmental, and socioeconomic factors. Newborns and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable, with risks including birth complications, heat-related illnesses, and neonatal stress. People with disabilities or reduced mobility often face additional challenges in cooling themselves. These vulnerabilities underscore the need for equitable and adaptive strategies to mitigate heat’s effects on diverse populations.

The economic costs are equally staggering. In 2019, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) warned that heat stress could lead to productivity losses equivalent to 80-136 million full-time jobs, causing a loss of €2.26 trillion in global gross domestic product (GDP) and affecting the construction, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors.
Sustainable cooling as a strategy against extreme heat
According to the United Nations Secretary General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, published in July 2024, advancing a transition to sustainable cooling can protect approximately 3.5 billion people worldwide from extreme heat by 2050.
But what can a future of sustainable cooling look like? We have to imagine a future where cooling systems are powered by the sun, where air conditioners use natural refrigerants that do not harm the ozone layer, and where district cooling networks efficiently serve entire neighbourhoods to regulate temperature efficiently.
Looking specifically at the MENA region, the Cool Up MENA Region Cooling Status Report, released in December 2024, gives a detailed picture of the status of sustainable cooling solutions in the region under the guidelines of international agreements such as the Montreal Protocol (1987) with its Kigali Amendment (2016) and the Paris Agreements (2016).
The report outlines a transition supported by a three-pronged strategy. The first component emphasises adopting passive cooling measures, such as reviving traditional cooling architecture, implementing urban greening, and utilizing reflective surfaces to naturally reduce indoor and outdoor temperatures. Equally important is the development and widespread adoption of energy-efficient cooling appliances for air conditioning and refrigeration. Lastly, the strategy focuses on advancing cooling technologies that use natural refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide, propane, and ammonia, reducing dependency on climate-warming and ozone-depleting gases in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

Sustainable cooling in the MENA region
Governments address the pledges made in the above-mentioned international agreements through National Determined Contributions (NDCs) — climate action plans submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by countries detailing their targets and strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions — and National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs). NDCs and NCAPs translate ambitious commitments into actionable adaptation and mitigation strategies, bridging the global framework with local realities.
They provide a structured roadmap for countries to deploy innovative technologies, reduce emissions and build resilience to the growing threat of extreme heat. In the MENA region, Turkey took a significant step in June 2023 when it launched its first NCAP. Similarly, Jordan finalised its inaugural NCAP in November 2024, presenting 30 actionable measures focused on critical intervention areas to combat extreme heat and improve energy efficiency. Meanwhile, Egypt initiated its NCAP process in May 2024, led by the National Ozone Unit and supported by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA).
The implementation of these ambitious, but realistic, plans faces significant hurdles, with financial constraints being one of the most critical. In 2023, the MENA region received only 6.6% of climate financing from three major global funds, according to the International Financial Corporation and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with a total of €23.18 billion – one of the lowest allocations in the world. Even more concerning, only a small proportion of this funding has been allocated to sustainable cooling solutions, leaving a vital area of need underfunded.
From regional strategies to local actions
Zooming in, the MENA Cooling Status Report highlights efforts at different levels and by different stakeholders in MENA and Turkey to address extreme heat and move towards a transition to sustainable cooling.
As of January 2025, 12 countries in the MENA region (Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE) and Turkey incorporated cooling commitments in their NDCs and started to implement related programs. Furthermore, Tunisia, Lebanon, the UAE, Turkey, and Oman have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 (2053 for Turkey) as part of their national climate change strategies.
Several national governments in the region, including Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, have implemented adaptation and mitigation measures. These range from establishing minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for all appliances and equipment, such as energy labels, to developing and regularly updating mandatory building codes and regulations, such as adaptive thermostats that optimise cooling based on occupancy trends, and geothermal heat pumps that extract heat from buildings into the ground while supplying cool air through the building system.

Take Jordan for example. In recent years, the nation has proved some commitment to achieving a sustainable cooling transition. Increasing heatwaves, flash floods, and droughts caused by climate change have compelled the government to adapt swiftly. Beyond its alignment with the Paris Agreement’s goals, Jordan has committed in its NDC to “implementing pilot interventions to scale-up the sustainable use of cooling technologies with climate-friendly gases.”
In previous years, efforts can be seen on an urban level. Rapid population growth in Jordan’s capital Amman has heightened the vulnerability of its residents to climate change impacts, with 40% of the nation’s population residing in the city. Despite the challenge of keeping green spaces in densely populated areas, local governments have integrated traditional cooling techniques, such as wind towers and shading systems, into modern construction practices.
Since 2017, Amman has implemented various climate-resilience plans, including the Amman Resilience Strategy, the Amman Green City Action Plan, and the Amman Smart City Roadmap. In 2022, the municipality began conducting evidence-based, district-level vulnerability assessments for heatwaves, enabling the design and prioritization of adaptation projects and the allocation of budgets for targeted climate interventions. From now on, it will begin the challenging work of aligning all this progress to the recently completed NCAP.
A shared mission
The transition to sustainable cooling is a defining challenge of our time, especially for places like the MENA region. Achieving this transition requires more than policies – it requires collaboration, innovation and significant financial investment.
Multiple stakeholders, including governments, businesses, the financial sector, and civil society actors, must work together at multiple levels to accelerate this transition, using technology and shared knowledge to reduce emissions and build climate resilience. The stakes are high, but there is still time to protect people’s lives and health from extreme heat, especially the most vulnerable.