Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program Changes Name to the Clean Cooling Collaborative; International Energy Efficiency Expert Noah Horowitz Appointed Director

Leading global philanthropic program for climate-friendly cooling poised for accelerated progress to help sector achieve net-zero emissions by 2050

SAN FRANCISCO – August 24, 2021 – ClimateWorks Foundation, a leading global platform for climate philanthropy, today announced that the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) has changed its name to the Clean Cooling Collaborative. The new name better reflects the program’s growing role in building a global coalition working across policy, finance, and industry to decarbonize the cooling sector by increasing the use of energy-efficient and climate-friendly refrigeration and air conditioning. In addition, Noah Horowitz, a leading expert in energy efficiency, has been named as director of the program. 

The Clean Cooling Collaborative was created in 2017 by leading climate foundations to facilitate efforts under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to support the implementation of the Montreal Protocol refrigerant phasedown and to advance efficiency. The program has helped place cooling on the global agenda since its inception by catalyzing a vast network of organizations, institutions, companies, and governments to bring efficient, climate-friendly policy and technology solutions to the world.

“As the climate crisis deepens, the need for affordable, climate-friendly cooling is more acute than ever,” said Chris DeCardy, acting CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation. “The Clean Cooling Collaborative is the most successful global philanthropic program focused on reducing emissions in the cooling sector. We’re thrilled to welcome Noah as the new director. With new leadership, a new name, and strong partners, the program is well-positioned to help increase access to efficient, clean cooling for all.” 

Noah Horowitz is a scientist with over three decades of experience in designing collaborative projects between the private and public sectors to advance energy efficiency, climate, and clean energy goals. He is an internationally recognized energy efficiency expert in the areas of consumer electronics and residential lighting and played a leading role in the ongoing phaseout of inefficient incandescent light bulbs around the world. Noah was previously the director of NRDC’s Center for Energy Efficiency Standards, where he led a team that worked to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and the equipment inside them. Before NRDC, he led worldwide environmental programs for Quaker Oats. Noah received a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Noah succeeds Jessica Brown as director, who will remain involved with the initiative as an advisor. In his new role, Noah will guide the Clean Cooling Collaborative as it executes a new comprehensive strategy to set the global cooling sector on a pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050. 

Noah added, “I’m honored to be joining the Clean Cooling Collaborative and for the opportunity to help prevent billions of tons of emissions that cause climate change. This program will make peoples’ lives better in so many ways and lead to greater comfort in our buildings, less food waste, lower utility bills, improved air quality, and fewer future power outages. I’ve long admired the Collaborative’s systems-based approach to engagement, which has resulted in incredible momentum on cooling worldwide, and I’m excited to be working with the team to build on the impact they’ve achieved to date.”

“The work of the Clean Cooling Collaborative is critical to paving the way for efficient and life-saving cooling in the regions and communities that need it the most,” said Sonia Medina, executive director of climate at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). “As an early supporter of the initiative and an organization committed to supporting systemic change that improves children’s lives, we look forward to our continued partnership with the Clean Cooling Collaborative and working with Noah in his new capacity as director.”

About ClimateWorks Foundation

ClimateWorks Foundation is a global platform for philanthropy to innovate and accelerate climate solutions that scale. We deliver global programs and services that equip philanthropy with the knowledge, networks, and solutions to drive climate progress. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $1 billion to more than 500 grantees in over 40 countries.

About Clean Cooling Collaborative

Clean Cooling Collaborative is making climate-friendly cooling accessible to all. A philanthropic initiative of ClimateWorks Foundation launched in 2017 as the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP), the Clean Cooling Collaborative focuses on super-efficient refrigeration and space cooling equipment, climate-friendly refrigerants, passive cooling, and integrated solutions that cool people and the planet.

Clean Cooling Collaborative Expects to Secure Gigaton-Scale Emissions Reductions by 2050

Report details progress of largest global initiative to make net-zero cooling accessible to all

SAN FRANCISCO – August 24, 2021 – The Clean Cooling Collaborative, the leading global philanthropic program to advance climate-friendly cooling solutions for all, today released its 2017-2021 impact report, Scaling up clean cooling for all. Formerly named the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP), the report covers accomplishments during its first four years of operations to support the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Through the work of its partners and grantees, the Clean Cooling Collaborative expects to capture 4.2 gigatons of avoided CO2 emissions by 2050 once the work is fully implemented, with 2.4 Gt CO2 already secured, by 2050. In total, this represents $960 billion in cost savings over the same period. 

“The Kigali Amendment has the potential to avoid up to 0.4℃ of global warming by the end of the century, with the enhanced energy efficiency of cooling set to double the climate benefits,” said Noah Horowitz, director of the Clean Cooling Collaborative. “The Collaborative has created a solid foundation to build from as our grantees and partners continue to pave the way in making affordable, net-zero cooling a reality.”

Leading climate foundations established the Clean Cooling Collaborative in 2017 to complement the Montreal Protocol’s refrigerant phasedown. With an emphasis on developing countries, the initiative works with a vast network of organizations, institutions, companies, and governments to bring efficient, climate-friendly policy and technology solutions to the world. 

“As the planet heats up, access to clean cooling is becoming an increasingly urgent climate and development issue, especially for vulnerable and marginalized communities,” said Sonia Medina, executive director of climate at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). “In four short years, this initiative has made tremendous progress in advancing energy-efficient, climate-friendly cooling solutions and developing a framework to support the rapid scaling up of said solutions. We’re proud to support the Clean Cooling Collaborative, which exemplifies the power of collective action to create lasting impact and meaningful change.” 

The Clean Cooling Collaborative’s emissions reductions come from meeting a range of ambitious milestones over its first four years of operations, including but not limited to:

  • Made direct investments to advance efficient, climate-friendly cooling in 57 countries.
  • Mobilized the investment of over $600M in public and private finance for cooling to cost-effectively steer consumers and institutions toward more efficient, climate-friendly cooling products.
  • Supported the proposal, adoption, or implementation of 21 cooling appliance policies around the world. 
  • Developed a network of more than 54 partner organizations, 99 business partnerships, and more than 100 Cool Coalition partners to drive change in the cooling sector.
  • Influenced the integration of cooling into comprehensive national climate policies; more than 55 countries have included cooling in their latest National Determined Contributions (NDCs).

For more on the Clean Cooling Collaborative’s impact over 2017-2021, read the report here.

About Clean Cooling Collaborative

Clean Cooling Collaborative is making climate-friendly cooling accessible to all. A philanthropic initiative of ClimateWorks Foundation launched in 2017 as the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP), the Clean Cooling Collaborative focuses on super-efficient refrigeration and space cooling equipment, climate-friendly refrigerants, passive cooling, and integrated solutions that cool people and the planet. 

About ClimateWorks Foundation

ClimateWorks Foundation is a global platform for philanthropy to innovate and accelerate climate solutions that scale. We deliver global programs and services that equip philanthropy with the knowledge, networks, and solutions to drive climate progress. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $1 billion to more than 500 grantees in over 40 countries.

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