Science of cold in action

We take refrigeration for granted because the cold is often invisible. All life on our planet depends on refrigeration – it preserves human well-being, keeps our food fresh, provides safe storage for vaccines. It is a source of life-saving refreshment in extreme heat events. Refrigeration protects us, our health, our future, and is more than just comfort. It is a necessity.

With emissions from cooling set to double by 2050, we urgently need to develop sustainable refrigeration practices that are based on independent and unbiased scientific knowledge.

The heating and cooling sector combined accounts for about 49% of global final energy consumption. Cooling is the fastest-growing demand segment while heating accounts for the largest share of energy use of the two. Decarbonising heating is no longer an option, it is essential for the energy transition, and heat pumps provide clean, efficient, and low-carbon heating, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and strengthening energy security.

Heat pumps are, at their core, refrigeration technology. They move heat rather than generate it, using the same scientific principles that underpin all modern cooling systems.