The HVACR industry is calling on the Australian government to be a signatory to the new Global Cooling Pledge which will be launched at COP28 next month.
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP28, will be held from 30 November to 12 December 2023, at Expo City, Dubai.
The core aim of the pledge is to reduce the incredibly high emissions created by cooling by 68 per cent by 2050 (compared to 2022 levels).
Current cooling emissions are estimated to be responsible for seven per cent of the world’s total emissions, a figure expected to triple as emerging nations like India adopt air-conditioning in more buildings.
Conry Tech CEO, Sam Ringwaldt, said it would be scandalous if Australia did not sign the pledge.
“Unlike other nations including the UK, US and Denmark, Australia has yet to signal its intent to sign the voluntary pledge,” Ringwaldt said.
“We already meet many of the requirements in the draft pledge and the simple fact is that Australia cannot meet its 2050 net zero targets if it does not address cooling emissions.
“COP28 is a unique chance for Australia to lead the rest of the world on an important climate change issue, rather than lag behind as we often do.”
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) is also supporting the pledge.
AIRAH COO Sami Zheng, said the HVACR sector uses almost a quarter of Australia’s generated electricity and contributes about 12 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, so it warrants special attention.
She said there are a lot of ways Australia can reduce its cooling emissions, and it isn't just about new technology.
“Good passive design and quality building envelopes are the starting points – if you can minimise cooling and heating loads, you won’t need to rely so heavily on cooling and heating equipment,” Zheng said.
“Maintaining equipment also makes a huge difference to its performance and longevity. And making sure we have a well-sized and well-educated workforce – supported by an effective and nationally harmonised licensing regime – would make a massive difference too.
“HVACR and the whole built environment must get to net zero well before 2050 to compensate for the harder-to-abate parts of our economy.”