MENA - Development of National Cooling Action Plans to accelerate climate friendly cooling and HFCs phase-down

Rationale

Demand for cooling in the MENA region is increasing, while countries simultaneously seek to prevent further warming and meet their commitments to HFC phase-downs following ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. This requires targeted policy development and implementation, as well as the creation of market incentives for a transition to climate-friendly cooling. 

Reducing HFCs has multiple co-benefits. Improving the cooling industry's energy efficiency together with a transition to climate-friendly refrigerants can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 210-460 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent over the next four decades. These greenhouse gas emissions cuts will be important to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. 

National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs) can show the potential for the cooling sector to rapidly lower emissions and build the political will for cross-economy strategies and policies that target the cooling sector. This is particularly important in the MENA region given rapid rising growth in cooling demand, and its climate vulnerability to rising heat. 

Objectives

The project aims to catalyse a policy transformation process in Middle East and North African countries to shift to climate-friendly cooling through the development of NCAPs.

This project aims to: 

  • Increase the capacity for MENA region countries to develop National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs) in accordance with the Kigali Amendment by the end of the project. 
  • Develop National Cooling Action Plans which can be adopted by two countries.
  • Increase the awareness and skills of national governments in the MENA region to implement NCAPs and develop policies to accelerate the shift to climate-friendly cooling and the phase-down of HFC emissions. 
Activities

To achieve these objectives this project will showcase the NCAP approach in two countries in the MENA region, and provide a regional methodology to encourage all countries in the region to develop similar plans.  

This will include:


Phase 1

  • Tailoring the Cool Coalition's National Cooling Action Plan methodology to the MENA region

  • Researching and comparing experiences and knowledge of organisations and countries that have worked on NCAPs. 

  • Tailoring the NCAP data assessment framework to the regional context. 

  • Adapting the guidelines for the development of a National Cooling Action Plan to the local context. 

  • Developing training modules and outreach materials to deliver a regional training session on NCAP methodology.


    Phase 2

  • Identifying two countries to pilot the implementation of the methodology based on interest shown and preliminary government engagement.

  • Performing a contextual assessment, including: i) an assessment of the country context: high-level mapping of cooling landscape and consultation meetings with policymakers, ii) NCAP planning and pre-work.

  • Undertaking a cooling demand assessment: assessment of current and future cooling demand by sector; and sector-specific recommendations and solutions. 

  • Developing a synthesis report and drafting of the NCAP.

Phase 3

  • Facilitating knowledge exchange at regional level and increasing capacity of national authorities to develop policies, strategies and set ambitious cooling targets.

  • Preparation of outreach and stakeholder engagement strategy to promote regional policy and sustainable cooling. 

  • Conducting national training workshops in the pilot countries and facilitating multi-stakeholder coordination to implement the NCAPs and their integration into national policies. 

  • Developing training material, briefing notes and summary infographics on the regional NCAP methodology and NCAP best practices. 

  • Conducting regional workshops to facilitate cross-country collaboration.

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