Proklima – promoting eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable cooling technologies worldwide

Context

Temperatures are rising worldwide, which is leading to growing demand for cooling. However, cooling technologies emit greenhouse gases, which fuel global warming even more. Proklima has been promoting wider use of green cooling technologies since 1995 in an attempt to break this vicious cycle. These technologies run on natural coolants which neither harm the environment nor the climate and are exceptionally energy-efficient.

Proklima bases its work on the Montreal Protocol (MP) and its Kigali Amendment in which the international community committed to eliminating ozone-depleting gases and reducing use of climate-damaging substitutes.  At the same time, Proklima plays a role in meeting the requirements of the Paris Agreement and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Objective

Natural coolants are being used worldwide, thus contributing to climate, ozone and environmental protection.

Approach

An advisory team supports the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in all matters concerning the Montreal Protocol. It is involved in developing safety and health standards, as well as norms and laws.

At the same time, the project offers ‘cool training’ courses to teach technicians from partner countries how to use natural coolants. By 2019, more than 550,000 people had taken part in the courses.

In addition, Proklima is implementing various pilot projects. In 2011 for instance, Proklima worked with Chinese manufacturer Gree on developing a production site for air conditioners running on hydrocarbons.

Proklima brings together a variety of other projects as well, including projects implemented by Germany as part of the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol. It also supports projects co-financed by the European Union or the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. This creates valuable synergies which contribute to climate-friendly and environmentally friendly cooling technologies in over 40 countries.

Last update: November 2023