Global access to cooling: Populations at risk

In 2021, at least 3.43 billion people across 54 high-impact countries faced cooling access challenges. The rural poor population at high risk grew to 355 million, driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on poverty, with India, Nigeria, and Bangladesh having the highest numbers. The urban poor population increased to 732 million, with China and India accounting for 36% of that growth. Additionally, the lower-middle income segment grew to 2.34 billion people, a group at risk of adopting inefficient cooling devices that could increase greenhouse gas emissions. Conversely, the middle-income population decreased by approximately 140 million people, primarily driven by declines in China and India.

• In 2021, at least 3.43 billion people across 54 high-impact countries faced cooling access challenges, with an increase of 50 million people at high risk compared to previous data.
• The rural poor population at high risk rose to 355 million in 2021, an increase of 31 million from 2020, primarily due to the financial burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. India, Nigeria, and Bangladesh have the highest numbers of rural poor at risk, with India seeing a gain of up to 21%.
• The urban poor population at high risk increased by 19 million to reach 732 million people. China and India were responsible for approximately 36% of this growth (6.8 million people).
• The lower-middle income population grew to 2.34 billion in 2021, an increase of 164 million from 2020. This group is identified as being at risk of purchasing inefficient cooling devices, which could lead to a significant rise in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
• The middle-income population (those living on USD 10.01 to USD 20 per day) decreased by approximately 140 million people in 2021, with the largest declines occurring in China (-82.1 million) and India (-43.2 million).

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (n.d.). Global access to cooling: Populations at risk. https://www.seforall.org/node/1866/#2

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Global access to cooling: Populations at risk. n.d. https://www.seforall.org/node/1866/#2.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Global access to cooling: Populations at risk |url=https://www.seforall.org/node/1866/#2 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforallndglobal, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Global access to cooling: Populations at risk}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/node/1866/#2}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }