Global access to cooling in 2021

In 2021, 1.09 billion people in 54 high-impact countries were at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling, an increase of 50 million compared to 2020. This growth is attributed to the combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed millions into extreme poverty, and increasing global temperatures. Additionally, 2.34 billion lower-middle income people are identified as a risk to energy systems and GHG emissions because they are likely to purchase inefficient cooling devices due to price sensitivity.

• In 2021, 1.09 billion people among the rural and urban poor in 54 high-impact countries were at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling, representing an increase of approximately 50 million people compared to 2020.
• The increase in high-risk populations was split between the urban poor, who grew by approximately 19 million (from 714 to 732 million), and the rural population, which grew by 31 million (from 324 million to 355 million).
• A population of 2.34 billion lower-middle income people poses a risk to energy systems and increases GHG emissions because their limited purchasing options and price sensitivity lead them to favor inefficient air conditioners or refrigerators.
• The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated cooling risks, forcing just under 70 million people in the 54 high-impact countries into extreme poverty in 2020, with the most significant increases in high-risk populations occurring in Asia and the Middle East (28 million additional people) and Africa (19.4 million additional people).

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} }