"Cambodia sets example for climate action in the cooling sector", 9 March 2023

The government of Cambodia is launching … its first national strategic plan on cooling – one of the largest contributors to global warming – to lead the country to a greener, cleaner and low-carbon future.

Cambodia’s National Cooling Action Plan was developed with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), under the framework of the Cool Coalition …

The plan seeks to reduce cooling demand, strengthen the access to cooling services such as cold chains for food and medicine, improve the energy efficiency of appliances, and encourage the use of low-Global Warming Potential refrigerants.

Sustainable approaches to cooling are critical to tackle climate change…

“If we are serious about reversing current climate trends, we cannot go about cooling our planet with a business-as-usual approach,” said Dechen Tsering, UNEP Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific. “As Cambodia’s demand for cooling grows, it has an important opportunity to adopt a new pathway on cooling, showing the possibility and potential of a system-wide approach to cooling that is equitable, efficient, and climate-friendly.”…

“Cambodia is demonstrating her willingness to be a leader in delivering sustainable cooling with the development of a National Cooling Action Plan to help realize her Nationally Determined Contribution and Long-term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality of building a sustainable, green, clean and low-carbon economy,” said H.E. Mr. Say Samal, Minister of Environment, …

Cambodia’s National Cooling Action Plan provides recommendations to guide policymakers and partners to focus and collaborate on strategic actions to deliver sustainable cooling…