
News facts
Adequate policy measures to support the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sector on its pathway towards green cooling is crucial for countries to comply with international climate standards: Over 30 representatives from Namibia as well as from the Green Cooling Africa Initiative partner countries gathered in Windhoek to discuss policy recommendations on the national and regional level.
The stakeholder events were organized by the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development in the context of the regional Green Cooling Africa Initiative (GCAI). This initiative, funded by the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network and carried out by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, aims at preparing the partner countries for a transformational change towards sustainable and energy efficient cooling appliances.
The national workshop was characterized by a lively discussion between ministries and industry on country-specific needs, whereas the regional workshop focused on the exchange of experiences between the four partner countries – Namibia, Mauritius, Kenya and Ghana.
A potential regional replication of GCAI’s activities and results will be discussed during a regional workshop as part of the Green Cooling Africa Week, from June 12 to 16, in Mauritius. The event will further include a national stakeholder workshop for Mauritius and two days of training for the regional participants.
GCAI with its innovative nature provides a unique opportunity for participating countries to prepare for an early transfer to climate and ozone layer friendly technology in the cooling sector. As Gaudensia Owino, regional participant from Kenya, concluded, the conversation on a regional level, brought up by GCAI “needs to be kept going by all means”, even after the project is finalized.