Non-state action towards climate-friendly and energy-efficient cooling

This research paper argues that while non-state actor initiatives in the refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) sector are currently limited, end-users like supermarkets, hotels, and cold stores have significant potential to reduce emissions through energy efficiency and the adoption of low-GWP refrigerants. The author emphasizes that voluntary action must be supported by mandatory government regulation and the formation of alliances to overcome regulatory, financial, and informational barriers.

• There is a current lack of non-state actor driven initiatives specifically targeting the refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) sector. While some bottom-up activities exist in sectors like food processing, beverage companies, and supermarkets, very few initiatives target other subsectors such as hotels and cold stores.
• End-users of cooling technologies, specifically hotels, cold stores, and supermarkets, are critical non-state actors because RAC equipment can account for over 50% of a company's total energy consumption. These actors can reduce their carbon footprint by choosing energy-efficient equipment and low-GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants to mitigate both energy-related emissions and refrigerant leakage.
• Non-state actors face several barriers to mitigation action in the RAC sector, including restrictive or unclear regulatory environments, high upfront costs, limited availability of alternative technologies, and a lack of awareness regarding technology alternatives.
• Taking early action on HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) can provide end-users with competitive 'early mover' advantages, economic savings through energy efficiency, reduced profit risks from delayed action, and reputational benefits that can increase profits.
• Voluntary non-state action is not a substitute for government regulation and is rarely sufficient on its own. Effective mitigation requires a combination of bottom-up non-state action and mandatory top-down government policy and regulation to secure long-term progress and meet the global 2°C goal.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2018). Non-state action towards climate-friendly and energy-efficient cooling. https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/non-state-action-towards-climate-friendly-and-energy-efficient-cooling

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Non-state action towards climate-friendly and energy-efficient cooling. 2018. https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/non-state-action-towards-climate-friendly-and-energy-efficient-cooling.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Non-state action towards climate-friendly and energy-efficient cooling |date=11 April 2018 |url=https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/non-state-action-towards-climate-friendly-and-energy-efficient-cooling |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2018nonstate, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Non-state action towards climate-friendly and energy-efficient cooling}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://newclimate.org/resources/publications/non-state-action-towards-climate-friendly-and-energy-efficient-cooling}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }