Cooling as an essential infrastructure: the new frontier of climate resilience
In recent years, the global debate on climate change has gathered momentum and is now focusing more on areas which have often been overlooked. One example is the concept of cooling as an essential infrastructure, which has been recognised as playing a crucial role in ensuring security, public health, productivity and social stability on this rapidly heating planet. In the past, cooling systems were considered a luxury, whereas today they have become a key tool for survival, especially in regions which face increasingly frequent, extreme heatwaves.
The urgency to consider cooling systems an integral part of adaptive strategies was reflected in the agenda of COP30 (United Nations Conference on climate change 2025), where this topic was again in the international spotlight. The debate underlined the fact that it is no longer sufficient to increase system efficiency and promote advanced technologies. A complete rethink is required of the ways in which cooling systems are designed, regulated and incorporated into public policy.
Why cooling has become a critical infrastructure
Global warming is leading the planet towards never-before recorded climate conditions, with heatwaves now emerging as one of the main threats to human health, biodiversity, infrastructures and production systems.
In such a scenario, cooling as an essential infrastructure not only provides key support, it is also a necessary element in:
- protecting human lives during extreme climate events;
- ensuring food security, thanks to the provision of reliable cold chains;
- the safe storage of medicines and vaccines, for which appropriate cooling systems are required;
- supporting energy efficiency and healthcare system resilience;
- ensuring production continuity in heat sensitive industrial sectors.
In the light of these aspects, it is no suprise that global demand for cooling systems is expected to triple by 2050, a statistic that is not only allarming but which could also put international environmental climate targets in jeopardy.
The real problem is that most systems currently in use are dependent on inefficient technologies, high climate impact refrigerants and often overloaded electricity networks.
Without a change in approach, emissions from cooling alone could double, contributing to a vicious circle of rising temperatures and demand for energy which is increasingly difficult to meet.
The COP30 effect: global initiatives for sustainable cooling
At COP30, held in Brazil from 10th to 21st November 2025, the topic of cooling as an essential infrastructure was explored through strategic initiatives and multilateral programmes. Attended by global leaders, technology specialists and energy efficiency experts, the event highlighted the importance of the transition towards low environmental impact solutions.
One of the most significant moments was the launch of the Beat the Heat Implementation Drive, a joint project involving collaboration between the Brazilian Presidency, UNEP (the UN Environmental Program) and the international Cool Coalition network. The key aims of this initiative include:
making cooling more accessible;
- reducing the impact of traditional systems to a minimum;
- spreading passive technologies and natural solutions;
- supporting areas which are vulnerable to heatwaves.
The program is based on a Sustainable Cooling Pathway, which combines passive architectures, technological innovations and accelerated decarbonisation. According to analyses, the widespread introduction of these measures could reduce emissions by up to 97% compared to traditional practices.
This reflects a key point which is often overlooked: the fact that reducing emissions is not only a question of air conditioning and its effects. More than two thirds of potential emission reductions are determined by factors such as:
- reflective rooves and high albedo colourings;
- urban green spaces;
- advanced natural ventilation;
- high thermal efficiency building materials.
The purpose is therefore to transform urban planning so that cooling is no longer a ‘fix’ applied in retrospect, but beecomes to all effects a key foundation of urban infrastructure.
The fact that over 185 cities around the world have already signed up to the initiative and that 72 countries support the Global Cooling Pledge is a clear signal that the planet is finally recognising cooling as an essential infrastructure.
Artificial intelligence and cooling: opportunities and contradictions
The 2025 United Nations Conference on climate change also devoted considerable space to artificial intelligence, as both a subject for negotiation and a key transversal element in the Action Agenda. AI offfers some extremely powerful tools to improve the efficiency of energy networks, predict extreme climate events and optimise the use of hydro- agricultural resources.
A case in point involves Laos, where the engineer Alisa Luangrath has developed a smart irrigation system capable of predicting ground conditions, water availability and environmental risks, thanks to thhe use of sensors and predictive models. This project also represents a virtuous example of how digital technologies can favour climate adaptation and reduce the impact of extreme heat.
However, the expansion of AI also brings significant risks. Its advanced models and digital platforms are in fact based on enormous computational infrastructures known as data centres, which consume vast quantities of energy and water, mainly for the purpose of their own cooling.
The paradox lies in the fact that, while the world tries to maximise cooling as an essential infrastructure, a large part of this demand derives from the spread of technologies which should help to reduce climate impact. Many data centres require locations with:
- more lenient environmental regulations;
- an abundance of water;
- tax incentives and lower energy costs.
This strategy can aggravate the hydrological and climate crises, as shown in the case of countries which have already imposed a moritorium or limitations on the construction of new data centres.
The link betwen cooling and water consumption is often underestimated. Traditional, energy intensive systems require water to dissipate heat, putting further pressure on already vulnerable areas.
Some recent data centre projects have been located in areas subject to drought or extreme climate events, causing controversy and even legal disputes. In Brazil for example, two emblematic cases involve:
- a data centre constructed near land belonging to indigenous people, with potential repercussions on local communities;
- a project in an area recently devastated by floods.
These cases show how the planning phase of cooling as an essential infrastructure must be accompanied by careful assessment of the environmental and social impact. If carried out systemically, this transformation can guide the world towards a more resilient, fair and efficient future, in which cooling is not a privilege but a universal right and a key component of climate adaptation.
