India not expected to participate in the global cooling commitment during COP28
India is unlikely to endorse a global commitment to reduce emissions associated with cooling systems during the COP 28 climate conference as India's necessity for affordable cooling solutions is stable, given its status as the world's most populous country, according to Reuters sources.
The pledge, formulated by the United Nations Environment Programme's Cool Coalition and COP28 host, the United Arab Emirates, aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions linked to cooling by a minimum of 68% by 2050 compared to 2022 levels.
Achieving this target would necessitate substantial investments from nations to transition to sustainable cooling technologies, potentially increasing the cost of such products.
The final decisions of nations regarding the cooling pledge are anticipated to be announced during the annual climate conference in Dubai, scheduled from November 30 to December 12.
India and China, both significant global economies and carbon emitters, boasting a combined population of over 2.8 billion, play pivotal roles in the success of this cooling initiative.
India is "probably the single most important country for this pledge," Brian Dean, head of energy efficiency and cooling at Sustainable Energy for All said, which helped to develop the pledge.
"They've been ahead of the curve on doing what's needed for their country on cooling with the India Cooling Action Plan. And it would be a significant global signal if they were to sign the pledge," he said.
Government officials have stated that New Delhi is unwilling to adopt goals that exceed the commitments made in 1992 under the international Montreal Protocol, which regulates the production and utilization of ozone-depleting substances and hydrofluorocarbons found in refrigeration systems, air conditioners, and insulating foams.
The Indian Ministry of Environment has not responded to a comment request, and the officials have chosen to remain anonymous, as India's position is currently under deliberation.
As per its independently declared cooling action plan in 2019, India's objective is to decrease its energy demand for cooling in various sectors by 20% to 25% by 2038.
According to recent data released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) this week, the demand for electricity in India attributed to residential air conditioning is projected to surge by a factor of nine by the year 2050. This growth is anticipated to surpass the increase in consumption for all other major household appliances.
In the period from 2019 to 2022, India's electricity usage for air conditioning witnessed a 21% rise, and roughly 10% of the nation's total electricity consumption is now attributed to these cooling devices. India's per capita carbon emissions currently stand at approximately 2 metric tons, in contrast to the global average of around 5 metric tons.
