The Cambodian government has unveiled its first national strategic plan on cooling, one of the main causes of global warming, in an effort to guide the nation toward a cleaner, greener, and low-carbon future.
The Cambodia’s National Cooling Action Plan was created as part of the Cool Coalition, a global initiative spearheaded by UNEP to promote action on sustainable cooling, with assistance from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
The plan aims to lower cooling demand, improve access to cooling services like cold chains for food and medicine, increase appliance energy efficiency, and promote the use of low-GWP refrigerants.
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UNEP Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Dechen Tsering said “If we are serious about reversing current climate trends, we cannot go about cooling our planet with a business-as-usual approach.”
“As Cambodia’s demand for cooling grows, it has an important opportunity to adopt a new pathway on cooling, showing the possibility and potential of a system-wide approach to cooling that is equitable, efficient, and climate-friendly,” she added.
Minister of Environment, the Royal Government of Cambodia, Mr Say Samal, said “Cambodia is demonstrating her willingness to be a leader in delivering sustainable cooling with the development of a National Cooling Action Plan to help realize her Nationally Determined Contribution and Long-term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality of building a sustainable, green, clean and low-carbon economy.
“I invite Cambodian ministries and relevant stakeholders to join forces to implement this plan as laying the ground for climate-friendly cooling in Cambodia requires strong collaboration.”
Story was adapted from UN environment Programme