Global access to cooling in 2021

This report analyzes global access to cooling in 2021, focusing on 54 high-impact countries. It details how the combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising global temperatures have increased the number of people at risk due to a lack of sustainable cooling, particularly among the rural and urban poor.

• In 2021, 1.09 billion people among the rural and urban poor in 54 high-impact countries are at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling. This represents an increase of approximately 50 million people compared to 2020, with the urban poor at high risk growing from 714 to 732 million and the rural population growing from 324 million to 355 million.
• A separate risk group consists of 2.34 billion lower-middle income people who can afford basic cooling devices but are likely to choose inefficient air conditioners or refrigerators due to price sensitivity and limited options, which threatens energy systems and increases greenhouse gas emissions.
• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly exacerbated cooling risks, forcing just under 70 million people in the 54 high-impact countries into extreme poverty in 2020. This impact was most pronounced in Asia and the Middle East, where 28 million additional people are at high risk, and Africa, where 19.4 million additional people are at high risk.
• Environmental factors have intensified the need for cooling, with 2020 tying with 2016 as the hottest year on record. Specific events included heatwaves in North America and Australia, and temperatures reaching 38°C in the Siberian region of Russia, which led to wildfires and carbon dioxide emissions.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2021). Global access to cooling in 2021. https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2021/global-access-to-cooling

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Global access to cooling in 2021. 2021. https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2021/global-access-to-cooling.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Global access to cooling in 2021 |date=2021 |url=https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2021/global-access-to-cooling |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2021global, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Global access to cooling in 2021}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2021/global-access-to-cooling}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }