Cote d'Ivoire - Complementing HFC mitigation and reducing cooling-related emissions by improving energy efficiency of cooling equipment in Cote d’Ivoire 

Rationale

Côte d'Ivoire has made ambitious commitments to climate action in its latest NDC (2022) – the country has an unconditional commitment to reduce its GHG emissions by 30.41% compared with a BAU scenario by 2030, and 98.95% with conditional support. 

The revision of the NDC considered cross‑cutting aspects such as green jobs and the just transition, gender, local authorities, short‑lived climate pollutants (SLCP) and clearly indicates energy efficiency as a priority mitigation action. The NDC is aligned with Côte d'Ivoire’s National SLCP Action Plan (2020), the National Gender and Climate Change Strategy (2020 – 2024) with the vision that by 2030 all actions to combat climate change will consider issues related to gender equality and social inclusion, the National Development Plan (2021-2025) and the National Action Plan (undergoing). Additionally, Côte d'Ivoire endorsed in 2023 the Global Cooling Pledge, which sets global targets to reduce cooling related emission by 68% by 2050.

Since July 15 2024, Côte d'Ivoire has implemented an energy label, even though this does not take into account the MEPS adopted by ECOWAS and national MEPS have not been implemented yet in the country, either mandatory or voluntary. As previous experiences, the GEF project “Promotion of Energy Efficiency Lighting in Public, Commercial and Residential Buildings” (ID 3876), which took place from 2017 to 2019 has established the technical and organizational foundations for the market transformation process for the Lighting sector as well as identifying the main barriers to implement energy efficiency regulations, engagement with the main stakeholders on potential thresholds for the MEPS and levels scheme, testing standards and metrics for energy efficiency, among others. The current project will build upon this past experience and seek further synergies.

Objectives

This project aims to support Côte d’Ivoire leapfrog to superior cooling solutions, including innovative low – GWP refrigerants and modern, energy efficient (EE) cooling technologies for domestic refrigerators and room air conditioners, following a three-pronged integrated approach: 1. Enhancing stakeholders' capacity and systems, 2. implementation of key policy frameworks in accordance with international best practices, and regional ECOWAS standards/policies, and 3. Creating an exchange platform for strengthening the engagement and coordination among different efforts.

Specifically the project aims to:

• Strengthen relevant government stakeholders' capacity and systems to support the planning, programming and implementation of energy efficiency and SLCP related regulations/policies. 
• The Government of Côte d’Ivoire endorses Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and label policies regulating domestic refrigerators and air conditioners by the end of the project or soon after. 
• Enable the Government of Cote d’Ivoire to adopt recommendations for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) best practices for refrigerators and room air conditioners by the end of the project or soon after. 
• Enable the Government of Cote d’Ivoire adopts a Sustainable National Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement (MVE) framework.
• Strengthen national laboratories ability to verify compliance with updated standards and protocols by the end of the project.

Activities

To achieve these objectives, the project will:

• Establish a high-level working group with the development of capacity building events for pertinent stakeholders. This will allow for local representatives from relevant government bodies, agencies and UNEP to oversee the development/implementation of the national legislation and ensure that different organisations can provide their points of view on the planned activities. 
• Leverage the purchasing power of public institutions in buying EE refrigerators and ACs to help drive markets in the direction of sustainability and set the example for the private sector and consumer behaviour change, enabling the transition to a green sustainable economy. 
• Strengthen monitoring procedures at borders and within the market to successfully implement the regulations and prevent the presence of low quality, inefficient products.
• Build local capacities for monitoring, verification and enforcement and provide training to national laboratories and  supervisory agencies to implement the applicable test standards.

Project Reference:  [CI-24-005] Cote d'Ivoire - Complementing HFC mitigation and reducing cooling-related emissions by improving energy efficiency of cooling equipment in Cote d’Ivoire