UNEP's United for Efficiency (U4E) initiative showcased its leadership in energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling at the 47th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG47) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, held from 6 to 11 July 2025, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. The event drew over 500 participants from governments, academia, industry, and civil society to address pressing global challenges related to refrigerants and cooling technologies. U4E ...Read More
Empowering Farmers Through Sustainable Cold Chains in Kenya
A new article by the Clean Cooling Network highlights the impressive impact of the SPOKE programme in Kenya, which is delivering a 50% increase in return for local farmers. This is made possible through a combination of sustainable cold chain infrastructure, solar-powered cooling technologies, and tailored training in post-harvest handling and marketing. The SPOKE programme (Specialised Outreach and Knowledge Establishment) is part of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable ...Read More
East African Community Approves Regionally Harmonised MEPS for Room Air Conditioners and Residential Refrigerators
The East African Community (EAC) has reached a significant milestone in advancing energy efficiency and sustainable cooling by officially gazetting the EAC regionally harmonised Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and labelling requirements for room air conditioners and residential refrigerators. This landmark decision was endorsed by the East African Standards Committee (EASC) through its Standards Management Committee (SMC) on 26 March 2025 and gazetted by the EAC Council of Ministers ...Read More
Driving Sustainability in Digital Infrastructure: U4E Hosts Launch Webinar for Data Centre Guidelines
On 8 July 2025, UNEP's United for Efficiency (U4E) hosted a webinar to present its newly launched Sustainable Procurement Guidelines for Data Centres and Servers. The event brought together over 60 participants from national governments, development agencies, and technical experts to explore how energy-efficient practices can support the sustainable digital transformation of economies worldwide. The webinar was part of U4E's efforts to promote the adoption of practical, evidence-based ...Read More
Cooling Commitments Reinforced at ASEAN’s 2nd Regional Workshop in Manila
The ASEAN region is facing a rapid surge in demand for room air conditioners (RACs), driven by climate change, rapid urbanisation, and a growing middle class. Although RAC ownership across households currently stands at just 15%, projections show that the number of units will increase from 106 million in 2025 to nearly 243 million by 2040. To address this trajectory, a regional study was conducted, recommending a phased approach to strengthening energy efficiency policies and the ...Read More
UNEP-U4E and Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency Launch Pilot for Off-Grid Refrigeration
UNEP's United for Efficiency (U4E) initiative signed a landmark agreement with Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to pilot the deployment of energy-efficient, climate-friendly off-grid refrigeration solutions in rural communities. The project seeks to address one of the most pressing gaps in rural energy access: the lack of sustainable cooling for food preservation, healthcare, and economic development. The joint team will work with local companies to test scalable models for ...Read More
Nigeria Launches Campaign Explaining New Energy Saving Policies for Air Conditioners
Following the approval of new Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for air conditioners, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched a nationwide awareness campaign to educate stakeholders and the public, aiming to promote compliance with the mandatory standards. Stakeholder Engagement Workshops in Lagos and Kano To enhance understanding and facilitate compliance with the new MEPS, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and UNEP-U4E jointly ...Read More
Advancing the Cooling Pledge: U4E Equipping Officials with Energy Efficiency Tools for Cooling Products
The first Global Cooling Pledge Signatories Focal Points Meeting took place in Bonn, Germany, on 13–14 June 2025. Organised by the Cool Coalition, with support from UNEP and partner governments, the event brought together national focal points to exchange experiences, build capacity, and strengthen coordination around the implementation of the Cooling Pledge—a global commitment launched at COP28 to reduce cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050, while ensuring equitable access to sustainable ...Read More
EE&C-SSN Meetings in Malaysia Advance ASEAN’s Energy Efficiency Agenda Through Regional Collaboration and Innovation
The 29th Energy Efficiency and Conservation Sub-Sector Network (EE&C-SSN) Meeting and its associated events took place from 19 to 22 May 2025 in Putrajaya, Malaysia, to accelerate progress toward regional energy efficiency goals under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II. Hosted by the Energy Commission of Malaysia in coordination with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), the meetings served as a strategic platform to reflect on achievements and chart new ...Read More
U4E Releases Comprehensive Guidelines for Energy-Efficient Data Centres and Servers
Data centres play a critical role in today's digital world, enabling a wide range of end-user services and functions such as websites, email, social media, streaming, business operations, and many other applications essential to modern life. However, they are among the most energy-intensive facilities, with a significant carbon footprint. The International Energy Agency estimates that data centres will drive more than 20 per cent of the growth in electricity demand between now and 2030. ...Read More
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 25
- Next Page »
