BELEM, BRAZIL – At the COP30 climate summit, prominent climate scientist Winston Chow emphasized that regional renewable energy sharing represents the most viable pathway for Southeast Asia to address escalating heat-related challenges without exacerbating carbon emissions.
As co-chair of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change working group on climate impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, Chow identified outdoor workers and slum residents as particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures. His analysis followed commitments from 185 cities, including Singapore, to implement localized cooling solutions that are both accessible and environmentally sustainable.
The urgency of this transition was underscored by a recent UN Environment Programme report warning that global cooling demand could triple by 2050 due to increasing temperatures, population growth, and proliferation of inefficient cooling systems. Unchecked, cooling-related emissions could nearly double, potentially overwhelming power grids and derailing climate objectives.
Chow, who serves as Professor of Urban Climate at Singapore Management University, noted Southeast Asia’s particular challenge: “We are still starved in terms of access to renewable energies,” highlighting the region’s limited solar, wind and hydropower resources compared to other areas. This scarcity underscores the critical importance of developing an ASEAN renewable energy grid, with member states targeting an interconnected power network by 2045 to ensure more affordable and reliable electricity supply.
Beyond technological solutions, Chow pointed to nature-based approaches including community gardens, street greenery and urban agriculture that provide natural cooling while delivering co-benefits like carbon sequestration. He particularly commended the UNEP report for addressing risks to vulnerable populations in heat-stressed tropical regions.
The scientist emphasized that effective cooling strategies must address both adaptation to rising temperatures and their root causes, noting: “You can’t just use air conditioning without realizing that most air conditioning is powered by fossil fuels.”
Supporting this comprehensive approach, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu announced plans to share technical expertise in sustainable cooling and urban heat resilience through the COP30 cooling initiative led by the Brazilian presidency and UNEP.
Amid sweltering conditions at the COP30 venue, Chow expressed hope that increasing temperature-related risks would spur more concerted global action, with cross-community and cross-governmental cooperation essential for implementing sustainable cooling solutions.