Cooling for human comfort and safety

The report highlights the escalating risks of extreme heat on human health and productivity, noting that 356,000 people died from extreme heat in 2019. It argues that while cooling demand is expected to soar—with space-cooling units potentially reaching 2.5 billion by 2030—this must be managed through sustainable solutions to avoid tripling global electricity demand by 2050. The text advocates for a mix of passive cooling, nature-based solutions, and energy-efficient active cooling, supported by policies like Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and the appointment of Chief Heat Officers in cities such as Athens and Miami Dade County.

• Extreme heat poses a severe and growing threat to human life, with 356,000 deaths recorded in 2019. Future risks are projected to escalate significantly; at 4°C of warming, the number of people exposed to heat waves could increase 36 times.
• Heat stress significantly impairs economic productivity. In 2020, 295 billion potential work hours were lost globally, with losses in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan being two-and-a-half to three times higher than the global average. By 2030, the world may lose the equivalent of 80 million full-time jobs due to heat stress.
• High temperatures negatively impact educational outcomes, as students score lower in heat. While WHO recommends 19°C for productive learning, passive solutions can help; for example, a cool roof in rural India reduced peak classroom temperatures by 5°C.
• Urban populations are increasingly vulnerable to heat, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, where 1.1 billion dwellers could face heat waves lasting over 30 days a year by 2080. In Africa, urban exposure to extreme heat could increase more than 20 times by the 2060s, especially in West Africa.
• Global demand for space-cooling is projected to grow, with total ownership of units like ceiling fans reaching 2.5 billion by 2030. However, this growth threatens net-zero goals, as cooling already uses 17 percent of global electricity and could triple its demand by 2050.
• Sustainable cooling requires a combination of passive, nature-based, and active solutions. Nature-based solutions are currently underfunded, receiving less than 0.3 percent of city infrastructure budgets. Active cooling efficiency can be improved via Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), with the most efficient air conditioners being 30 percent more efficient than market averages.
• The adoption of climate-friendly refrigerants and energy-efficient cooling could prevent a global average temperature increase of approximately 0.4°C by the end of the century.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2022). Cooling for human comfort and safety. https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2022/human-comfort-and-safety

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Cooling for human comfort and safety. 2022. https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2022/human-comfort-and-safety.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Cooling for human comfort and safety |date=2022 |url=https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2022/human-comfort-and-safety |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2022cooling, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Cooling for human comfort and safety}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2022/human-comfort-and-safety}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }