Ahmad Bin Shafar

Dubai, UAE, 13th May 2019: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has been selected to participate in the ‘Cool Coalition’ initiative, launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), in collaboration with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program, and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the Dubai-headquartered utility company said through a Press communiqué. The initiative aims to inspire ambition and accelerate action on the transition to clean and efficient cooling, the communiqué said.

The Cool Coalition, launched at the First Global Conference on Synergies between the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement, aims to make a positive impact on climate change and to inspire ambition, identify solutions and mobilise action to accelerate progress toward clean and efficient cooling. The initiative is currently working on the preparations of the UN Climate Change Summit 2019, which will have a preparatory meeting in June 2019 in Abu Dhabi.

The coalition consists of 20 influential global leaders, including ministers from Chile, Rwanda and Denmark, heads of cooling and engineering companies, civil society leaders, research and academic institutions and international organisations.

Empower said it has been selected as a key partner in the Cool Coalition, considering its global leadership in clean and efficient cooling. The company’s CEO, Ahmad Bin Shafar, described the selection an honour. “This will increase the position of the UAE in the global efforts for sustainable developments,” Bin Shafar said. “The initiative is a link between the Kigali Amendment, Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, aims to support the Kigali Amendment with climate and sustainability objectives and aims to reduce the projected production and consumption of HFCs by more than 80% over the next 30 years and provide up to USD 2.9 trillion globally by 2050.

“With global warming rising and increasing energy threats to air cooling that contribute to more greenhouse gases, emissions from cooling sector are expected to grow by 90% by 2050. Clean and efficient cooling solutions, especially District Cooling solutions, can avoid this steady rise in harmful emissions. District Cooling contributes to energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption, as District Cooling systems use 50% less energy compared to conventional cooling systems. The adoption of this solution contributes to the reduction of carbon emissions from energy consumption, as District Cooling is one of the energy efficiency accelerators announced by the UN previously.”

Bin Shafar highlighted that the rise in global warming rates leads to the spread of epidemics and diseases and, thus, the deaths of millions around the world, especially in poor communities because of high temperatures. SEforALL’s Chilling Prospects report 2018, revealed that over 1.1 billion people globally are at immediate risk from lack of access to cooling. The report also revealed that cooling is responsible for about 10% of global warming. Hence, we are committed to providing energy-efficient cooling solutions and environmentally friendly District Cooling systems.