"The way we cool things down is heating the planet even more," says sustainable development expert Rachel Kyte -- and the solutions go well beyond just fixing air-conditioning. She identifies four major areas with transformative solutions -- from roofs painted with bright white paint to solar control glass to more efficient cold chains for vaccines -- that can be implemented in fair and sustainable ways. Learn more about what a community designed for cool could look like.

Sustainable development diplomat, educator, activist

As the world heats up, the very technologies meant to keep people cool are making the problem worse. Air-conditioning is set to more than double by 2050, boosting energy use and pollution, while most people in hot countries still lack access to cooling. True solutions extend far beyond better machines, calling for smarter buildings, efficient standards, and clean cold chains for food and medicine. With bold investment and design, cooling everyone on a warming planet can be fair, sustainable, and safer for all.

Cooling the Planet Without Making It Hotter

Countdown: A global initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis

Sustainable cooling that doesn't warm the planet

Countdown