SINGAPORE — UNEP named Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Dong Mingzhu, chairperson of Gree Electric Appliances, as the inaugural Cool Leaders on 17 September 2026, recognising leadership in sustainable cooling and heat resilience at the Global Cooling Pledge Assembly.
FAKTA
- The inaugural Cool Leaders were named on 17 September 2026 at the Global Cooling Pledge Assembly, hosted by the UNEP-led Cool Coalition in Singapore from 15 to 18 September 2026.
- Singapore was honoured for leadership in passive cooling, heat resilience and sustainable cooling — the award was accepted by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu Hai Yien.
- The United Arab Emirates was recognised for leadership in district cooling and for advancing cooling in global climate and development policy — accepted by Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.
- Dong Mingzhu, chairperson of Gree Electric Appliances, was the sole individual recipient, cited for spearheading ultra-efficient, low-carbon cooling technologies including Gree’s Zero Carbon Source air-conditioning system. The award was presented by Martin Krause, Director of UNEP’s Climate Change Division.
- The Cool Leaders award is a global recognition initiative launched by the UNEP Cool Coalition to honour outstanding leadership in sustainable cooling and extreme heat resilience.
- The Global Cooling Pledge targets a 68% reduction in cooling-related emissions by 2050, with improved air-conditioner efficiency and expanded access to sustainable cooling by 2030.
- The Cool Leaders’ term lasts one year, during which recipients use the recognition to promote sustainable cooling technologies and practices.
Why the first Cool Leaders matter
The inaugural awards went to two countries and one individual — three different models of cooling leadership. Singapore represents heat-resilient urban practice in a crowded tropical city; the UAE represents district cooling at scale and cooling’s place in international climate and development policy; Dong Mingzhu represents industrial innovation in ultra-efficient, low-carbon cooling technology, as the Gree announcement from Singapore details.
Dong Mingzhu’s individual award — presented by UNEP’s Martin Krause — marks the recognition of a business leader alongside governments, underlining the award’s premise that sustainable cooling advances through policymaking, finance, innovative practice and project implementation together.
The cooling challenge behind the award
Cooling is one of the climate agenda’s quiet giants. Global demand for cooling is rising fast with warming, urbanisation and rising incomes, while conventional cooling systems add electricity demand and greenhouse-gas emissions — a cycle in which higher temperatures drive more cooling demand. Sustainable cooling combines energy efficiency, low-carbon technologies, resilient urban planning and wider access to cooling services.
As coverage of the Assembly notes, the Assembly also advanced work on a Global Roadmap on Heat Resilience and a Nature for Cooling Challenge — placing the Cool Leaders recognition inside a broader push to make cooling part of climate policy rather than an afterthought.
Related on Watan News: UNEP names Singapore, UAE and Dong Mingzhu inaugural Cool Leaders.
