COP30: Report Shows Sustainable Data Centre Cooling Crucial

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released its Global Cooling Watch report at COP30, calling for a rapid shift towards sustainable cooling technologies across homes, industry and digital infrastructure. 

For the data centre sector, where cooling already represents one of the largest energy overheads, the report provides a clear warning that traditional approaches will not keep pace with global temperature increases or the rapid expansion of AI workloads.

Cooling is expected to become one of the most significant drivers of global electricity demand. According to the International Energy Agency, space heating contributes to 40% of all energy-related CO₂ emissions, while the UNEP report finds that cooling systems already account for 20% of global electricity consumption. 

With more extreme temperatures occurring worldwide and data centre deployments accelerating, cooling requirements will continue to grow.

Rising demand puts pressure on global systems

The Global Cooling Watch report outlines a stark trajectory. In its foreword, Winston Chow, Lee Kong Chian Professor of Urban Climate, and Martin Krause, Director for Climate Change at UNEP, write: “Installed cooling capacity is on a trajectory to triple by 2050, potentially driving emissions to 7.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent even with efficiency gains and refrigerant phase-down efforts.”

Much of this increase will come from residential and commercial buildings, but digital infrastructure is also a major contributor. The report shows that cold chain expansion and space cooling are already consuming around 20% of global electricity. Even with improved efficiency, growth in demand could push cooling emissions to 7.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent under a business-as-usual pathway.

Despite this rapid expansion, the UNEP warns that almost half the world’s population could still lack access to reliable cooling by 2050. This gap underlines why energy-efficient cooling systems must scale faster, particularly in industries with high continuous demand, such as data centres.

Why cooling needs a redesign

The UNEP makes clear that conventional air conditioning is both a driver of climate impact and increasingly insufficient as temperatures rise.

Lily Riahi, UNEP Cool Coalition Project Lead, says: “Current trends demonstrate that societies cannot simply air condition their way out of escalating heat risks. Instead, adaptation and mitigation must be addressed together, with systemic approaches... integrating passive and active cooling solutions at the national and subnational levels.”

Passive cooling methods – such as building orientation, natural ventilation, cool roofs and insulation – can reduce temperatures by an average of 2.2 degrees Celsius, according to UNEP modelling. They also cut energy use by 29%, making them cost-effective solutions. The report also notes that hybrid systems, combining fans with air conditioning, can reduce energy consumption by more than 30%.

Although these examples focus on residential environments, the principles of passive design are increasingly relevant to data centres. Operators are now exploring site placement, building envelope engineering and natural airflow strategies to complement mechanical cooling and reduce energy loads.

Data centres face rapidly rising cooling challenges

The report dedicates a significant section to digital infrastructure, noting the “rising demand from digital infrastructure – most notably data centres, which require continuous, high-efficiency thermal regulation”. Traditional air-based cooling is under strain as rack densities rise with AI and high-performance computing deployments.

To address this, the sector is transitioning towards liquid and hybrid cooling systems, which UNEP states can “cut cooling energy use by 20 to 50%”, while supporting far higher heat loads. These systems also open the door to waste heat reuse, a growing priority in European markets and urban environments.

Research cited by UNEP includes a UK case study showing that “optimising operations [...] could cut data centre cooling demand by 16%, while widespread liquid cooling adoption could lower it by 42% versus business-as-usual.”

The impact of refrigerant choices is also highlighted. UNEP suggests that “transitioning to ultra-low [carbon] alternatives and expanding liquid cooling could slash [direct refrigerant] emissions by 93%,” reflecting a major opportunity for data centre operators to reduce Scope 1 emissions.

Policy momentum and industry action

Globally, regulators are starting to address the need for efficient cooling, yet UNEP warns that the policy landscape is inconsistent.

“Only 54 countries have policies across all three measures consistent with the Sustainable Cooling Pathway,” the report states, highlighting gaps in building codes and cooling standards.

The Global Cooling Pledge, launched at COP28 and expanded at COP30, now includes 72 countries and 80 non-state actors. Its target is a 68% reduction in cooling-related emissions by 2050, saving up to US$43tn in cumulative energy and grid infrastructure costs.

For the data centre sector, aligning with these objectives will involve accelerating the shift to liquid cooling, redesigning facilities for heat recovery, adopting low-carbon refrigerants and integrating real-time monitoring across cooling systems.

Lily stresses the urgency of coordinated action: “By making sustainable cooling the foundation of heat resilience, we can protect lives and livelihoods today while preserving the places, traditions and futures we hold dear.”

As AI adoption grows and facilities become more power dense, sustainable cooling will be one of the defining challenges for data centre operators worldwide.