The heatwave that has just scorched the globe left the air in Paris stifling. Barcelona recorded its hottest June in a century. Wildfires tore through Greece. Toronto was blanketed in heat warnings. From Shanghai to the eastern US, cities across the globe are baking under relentless temperatures.

This is not an anomaly. It’s the new normal. As the heat intensifies, staying cool isn’t a luxury; it’s a matter of survival. Yet the tools we rely on to beat the heat – from air conditioners to diesel generators – are still mostly powered by the same old energy sources that are driving the crisis: fossil fuels.

There is a solution. Solar and wind are not only more sustainable alternatives; they’re also better suited to meet peak demand, strengthen resilience and expand access to life-saving cooling. The faster we scale renewables, the more lives we protect and the more stable our energy systems become.

The heating–cooling paradox
Rising temperatures are driving surging demand for cooling. Since 1990, global cooling demand has tripled. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s Global Cooling Watch 2023 report, cooling systems accounted for almost a fifth of global electricity use in 2022. The installed capacity of cooling equipment globally is projected to almost triple by 2050, resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in electricity consumption. Without additional measures, global cooling-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will increase by 50% and will more than double in developing countries where cooling demand will soar.

Yet in most countries, this cooling is still powered by coal, gas and oil – cooling our living spaces and keeping our food and vaccines safe but heating our planet. We are trying to put out a fire with gasoline.

The pressure on energy systems is already visible. Power grids are straining under peak demand, which in warmer climates is often driven by space cooling during hot weather. Rolling blackouts and price spikes are becoming more common. In some countries, diesel generators, once used mainly as backup during outages, are now relied on daily.

High temperatures reduce the efficiency of thermal power plants like fossil and nuclear, limiting their output and sometimes forcing shutdowns – as seen in Europe and the US, where reactors have idled when river water became too warm to cool turbines effectively. Droughts and extreme weather further disrupt fuel supplies and damage pipelines. Hydropower plants, a cornerstone of electricity generation in many countries, are also under pressure as climate change disrupts hydrological resource patterns and water availability.

This is what energy insecurity looks like in the climate crisis. But, as temperatures mount around the world, fossil fuels are proving to be more of a liability than a lifeline.

We already know the stakes. Heat-related deaths among older adults have increased by more than 60% over the past two decades. According to the International Energy Agency, improved access to cooling is estimated to prevent nearly 200,000 deaths each year, yet only around 15% of people living in hot climates have access to air conditioning – with much lower rates in heat-stressed Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

We cannot deny people the cooling they need to survive. But if we expand access without transforming how we power it, we risk solving one crisis by deepening another.

Cleaner district cooling
Renewables offer a way out. Locally produced renewables, such as rooftop solar or community microgrids, can bring energy and cooling to underserved areas where the grid is weak or non-existent. District cooling systems powered by renewables can bring cooling to larger neighbourhoods. In some countries, solar production aligns well with cooling demand patterns and can make a stronger contribution to mitigating peak demand with some complementary storage and demand management.

District cooling offers a smart, energy-efficient alternative to traditional air conditioning. By tapping into local renewable sources – such as river or seawater – these systems can deliver sustainable cooling at scale while reducing pressure on electricity grids. With market growth projected to reach 60% by 2030 in the latest District Heating and Cooling Market Outlook from Euroheat & Power, and successful rollouts already underway in cities like Barcelona and Stockholm, district cooling is becoming a cornerstone of climate-resilient infrastructure and a critical component of the energy transition.

Locally produced renewables, such as rooftop solar or community microgrids, can bring energy and cooling to underserved areas where the grid is weak or non-existent. District cooling systems powered by renewable can bring cooling to larger neighbourhoods.

Many governments are now planning for a hotter future. As highlighted in the recently published global overview of REN21’s Renewables Global Status Report, national cooling action plans (NCAPs) are already in place in more than 20 countries. These promote efficient appliances, low-emissions refrigerants and smart building design that naturally keep buildings cool or warm – these plans must also integrate renewables to ensure sustainable and affordable cooling for all.

Global efforts are gaining traction. The Global Cooling Pledge, launched at COP28 and coordinated by the UNEP-led Cool Coalition, commits a growing number of countries to cut cooling-related emissions 68% by 2050. The Cooling Facility, backed by the World Bank and the Green Climate Fund, is delivering over $150mn to help countries expand access while reducing emissions. And UNEP is helping countries integrate cooling into their climate commitments.

But time is short. Every investment in new fossil infrastructure makes this challenge harder to solve. We can no longer afford the illusion that fossil fuels provide energy security. Only renewables can deliver the reliability, equity and emissions reductions needed in an overheating world.

We have the technologies. We have the policy tools. What we need now is the courage to act before the next heatwave descends.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the authors only and are not necessarily given or endorsed by or on behalf of the Energy Institute.

• Further reading: ‘Going for gold: UK spin-out wins $1mn for cool technology’. Barocal, a UK spin-out company, has won the Gold category of this year’s TERA-Award for its solid-state cooling system that uses ‘barocaloric’ materials that undergo temperature changes when pressure is applied. The prize was $1mn.
• Find out how India’s super-efficient ACs could transform the grid.