Europe's climate is changing at a disturbing rate. Data from the World Meteorological Organization1 reveals the continent is warming twice as fast as the global average. This significant increase highlights the urgency of addressing climate change and implementing effective mitigation strategies.
The European Green Deal and the ambitious "Fit for 55" package highlight a crucial fact: decarbonizing the way we cool and heat our buildings is essential for a successful energy transition. Unless we significantly increase the use of renewable energy sources in this sector, achieving our climate and energy goals will be both expensive and challenging.
The increasing demand for cooling services on a global level stand as a pressing challenge in the current times, driven by factors such as urbanisation, climate change, and many others. As cities expand and temperatures rise, the need for effective cooling solutions becomes predominant. However, traditional cooling methods pose considerable challenges, encompassing increased energy consumption and high environmental impacts, as well as potential strain on finite resources.
Considering these challenges, the imperative for sustainable cooling emerges as a critical necessity. Sustainable cooling not only addresses the increasing demand for cooling services but also presents a pivotal opportunity to align urban development with environmental protection, energy efficiency, and carbon neutrality. The adoption of sustainable cooling strategies is set to play a transformative role in mitigating the environmental footprint associated with the increased need for cooling in general and with conventional cooling methods in particular.
This cooling knowledge product is targeted at local government policymakers and practitioners. It aims at touching the scientific background of cooling in cities, as well as potential technical solutions and tools that can be fostered by local administrations, both at city planning level and for the built environment. Further, it brings several European case studies that apply cooling solutions including nature based and district cooling. It also features affordability, energy poverty, and the social impacts of different measures on vulnerable groups.