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The document argues for a dual strategy of cutting both carbon dioxide and super pollutants—methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), black carbon, and tropospheric ozone—to reduce warming in the next two to three decades. It highlights that reducing black carbon and tropospheric ozone can lower warming in days to months, while HFC and methane reductions work over 15 years. The authors call for specific U.S. actions, including cutting oil and gas methane emissions to 65% below 2012 levels by 2025, ratifying the Kigali Amendment, and tightening National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone smog.

The briefing highlights three key pieces of US federal legislation—the Coronavirus and Climate Relief omnibus bill, the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act, and the American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act—as evidence of bipartisan and ambitious climate momentum. It further argues that President-Elect Biden's cabinet appointments, including the creation of the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and the National Climate Advisor, signal that climate change will be a cross-agency priority integrated with economic and public health policies.

The World Resources Institute expresses support for President-elect Joe Biden's foreign policy nominees, specifically highlighting the appointment of John Kerry as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and the decision to elevate that role to the National Security Council. The statement asserts that the selected team, including Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan, will prioritize science-based diplomatic strategies and multilateral cooperation to address climate change as a national security and humanitarian threat.

The briefing examines the critical role of cold chains in COVID-19 vaccine distribution, highlighting the gap between current infrastructure and the requirements of new vaccine candidates, some of which need ultra-low temperatures (-70C to -80C). It identifies significant barriers in low- and middle-income countries, including unreliable energy access, outdated equipment, and high upfront costs. The report argues that achieving herd immunity requires a massive expansion of sustainable, energy-efficient cold chains and proposes strategies such as 'Cooling as a Service' (CaaS), public-private partnerships like Project Last Mile, and a 'last mile' planning approach to ensure equitable access.

The World Resources Institute outlines ten priorities for President Biden to address the climate crisis, centered on the principles of inclusive prosperity, focusing on carbon-heavy sectors, and supporting subnational action. Key recommendations include committing to a 45-50% emissions reduction by 2030, passing a $2 trillion climate-smart stimulus package, and phasing out new passenger vehicle sales of polluting cars by 2035. The plan emphasizes a 'whole-of-government' approach combining standards, investments, carbon pricing, and environmental justice to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The document highlights the critical link between air pollution, human health, and climate change, specifically focusing on short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). It argues that because air pollution has a more immediate and tangible impact on public health than long-term climate change, it can serve as a powerful catalyst for policy action. The brief details the health burdens of PM2.5 and tropospheric ozone, including millions of asthma-related hospital visits and pre-term births. To facilitate this, the Stockholm Environment Institute promotes the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) and Integrated Benefits Calculator (IBC) to help cities and nations model emission projections and quantify health and climate benefits simultaneously.

Climate Central's analysis of 242 U.S. cities shows that 96% have experienced an increase in cooling degree days since the 1970s, with the most significant rises in the South and Southwest. This trend is driving a projected 59% increase in residential air conditioning consumption by 2050, which contributes to carbon emissions, the urban heat island effect, and the release of heat-trapping gases from improper disposal.

The Clean Air Task Force, Earthjustice, and Western Resource Advocates recommend that Colorado move away from a "single-basket" approach—which measures all greenhouse gas reductions in CO2 equivalence (CO2e)—toward a "two-basket" framework. This proposed system would require both short-lived pollutants (methane) and long-lived pollutants (CO2 and N2O) to decline on their own steady trajectories, such as both being reduced by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. The authors argue that a single-basket approach creates problematic trade-offs, where high Global Warming Potential (GWP) values for methane could incentivize polluters to prioritize low-cost methane reductions over the long-term CO2 reductions necessary to stabilize the climate. The document asserts that the AQCC has the legal authority under HB 19-1261 to implement this separate tracking to ensure the state meets its targets of 26% reduction by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 90% by 2050.

Energy Innovation modeled a subset of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis's recommendations, finding that these policies could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 89% by 2050. The analysis projects that net carbon dioxide emissions would reach zero by 2048, avoiding 62,000 premature deaths annually by 2050 and generating approximately $8 trillion in monetized health and climate benefits (at a 3% discount rate). The modeling covers sectors including electricity, transportation, buildings, industry, oil and gas, agriculture, and natural climate solutions, assuming a transition to 100% clean electricity by 2040 and 100% zero-emission vehicle sales for light-duty vehicles by 2035.

China is the world's largest primary energy consumer and energy-related CO2 emitter. While the country is on track to meet most 2020 targets from its 13th Five-Year Plan, energy-related CO2 emissions continued to grow through 2018, surpassing 10 GtCO2. The report's 'Continuous Improvement Scenario' projects that primary energy consumption will peak in 2029 at 5,400 Mtce and CO2 emissions will peak in 2025 at 10,930 MtCO2, subsequently declining to 5,010 MtCO2 by 2050. This outlook assumes the maximum adoption of commercially available energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, leading to a power system where non-fossil sources generate 89% of electricity by 2050.

The document identifies significant barriers to financing sustainable cooling, including the diversity of needs across human comfort, agriculture, and health sectors, and a lack of global tracking for cooling-specific investments. It argues that while private capital is abundant, it is often too risk-averse for the innovative or low-income contexts where cooling is most needed. The brief highlights the role of the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and suggests leveraging blended finance, national cooling action plans, and bulk procurement to scale solutions. It specifically emphasizes the need to coordinate funding for refrigerant replacement (via the Montreal Protocol) with energy efficiency improvements to maximize climate benefits.

The report highlights the critical need for sustainable cooling to address health, food security, and economic risks affecting billions of people. It identifies a cooling gap impacting approximately 1.1 billion people in extreme heat, while noting that 2.3 billion low-to-middle-income individuals risk driving climate disasters by adopting low-efficiency cooling products. The document advocates for a coordinated approach integrating the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the Kigali Amendment to promote high-efficiency technologies, passive cooling, and innovative business models.

The Kigali First Movers (KFM) project seeks to shift the air conditioning (AC) market in Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Ghana away from high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and energy-inefficient models toward 'green AC' (defined as having GWP < 10 and utilizing best available technology for energy efficiency). The project is structured in two tranches: Tranche 1 focuses on Costa Rica (2020-2026), and Tranche 2 covers Indonesia and Ghana (2022-2028), supported by a global component. It targets a total mitigation impact of 37 MtCO2eq over its 20-year lifespan (2020-2040), with the bulk of reductions expected in Indonesia. The project addresses five main barrier categories: policy and regulatory frameworks, consumer behavior, technical capacity, technology availability, and finance. Key interventions include updating Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), training and certifying RAC technicians, implementing green public procurement, and providing financial mechanisms such as on-bill financing and installation subsidies. The total indicative cost is USD 133.4 million, with USD 43.7 million requested as GCF grants and USD 85.7 million in co-finance.

The report identifies that 1.05 billion people remain at high risk due to a lack of cooling access, while another 2.2 billion are at risk of adopting inefficient cooling technologies. It advocates for a shift from equipment-based projections to a needs-based assessment covering thermal comfort, food security, and medical cold chains. Key progress is noted in the development of National Cooling Plans in India, China, and Rwanda, alongside the launch of the Cool Coalition and innovative financing models like Cooling as a Service (CaaS).

The report warns that room air conditioner (RAC) stock could grow from 1.2 billion to 4.5 billion units by 2050, potentially increasing global temperatures by 0.5°C by 2100. It argues that conventional efficiency improvements and the Kigali Amendment are insufficient to offset this growth. The authors propose a '5X solution'—technology with five times less climate impact than current standards—which could prevent 100 gigatons of CO2e emissions by 2050 and save US$1.4 trillion in power generation capital costs.

The 2017 National Framework for Air Quality Management serves as the operational blueprint for the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) in South Africa. It defines the roles of national, provincial, and municipal governments in managing atmospheric emissions and outlines a governance cycle comprising information management, problem identification, strategy development, standard setting, and enforcement. Key tools introduced include the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) and the South African Atmospheric Emission Licence and Inventory Portal (SAAELIP). The framework also details the process for declaring priority areas, managing listed activities through Atmospheric Emission Licences (AELs), and fulfilling international obligations regarding greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances, and persistent organic pollutants.

The We Mean Business coalition argues that while nearly 500 companies have set science-based emission reduction targets, stronger government policies are required to drive further business action. The coalition recommends specific interventions across zero-carbon grids, fleets, buildings, and agriculture, alongside broader systemic reforms including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the implementation of carbon pricing, and the adoption of TCFD disclosure requirements. The document emphasizes that these policies will provide the clarity and confidence businesses need for low-carbon capital investment and a just transition for workers.

The We Mean Business Coalition calls on G7 governments to increase climate ambition by implementing more stringent 2020 NDCs, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and coal power, and establishing strong carbon pricing. The coalition emphasizes that while businesses are aligning with the Paris Agreement to drive innovation and growth, they require clear policy signals to secure low-GHG capital investment. The statement advocates for a just transition to a net-zero global economy, highlighting that over 700 leading businesses—with a collective market capitalization exceeding $16.7 trillion—are already taking action through the coalition's campaigns.

The paper argues that while top-down regulatory measures have not yet limited global warming to 2°C, bottom-up non-state action in the refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) sector can fill the emissions gap. It identifies supermarkets, cold stores, and hotels as key end-users whose choices regarding energy efficiency and low-GWP refrigerants can significantly reduce carbon footprints. However, the document notes that few non-state initiatives currently target the RAC sector due to regulatory, market, and informational barriers. It suggests that alliances can help overcome these hurdles, though it emphasizes that voluntary action must be accompanied by mandatory government regulation to be effective.

The report assesses the global landscape of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for air conditioners and refrigerators, building energy efficiency codes, and urban heat mitigation. It highlights significant gaps in policy adoption and enforcement in Africa and other emerging markets, while noting that aligning standards with Best Available Technologies (BAT) could improve appliance energy performance by 50% to 65%.