Representatives of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan attended a meeting in Baku to approve a new regional project on energy-efficient cooling systems.

The delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine attended the event. The parties agreed on an initiative supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The project aims to accelerate the transition of industrial, agricultural, and food systems to advanced climate-adapted cooling technologies while providing reliable services to the country.

In the context of global warming and the growing demand for refrigeration equipment in agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, and trade, the modernization of this industry is gaining strategic importance.

At the meeting, special attention was paid to the phased reduction of greenhouse gases with high global warming potential – hydrofluorocarbons.

The project provides practical support to the participating countries in the following areas: analysis of the needs of national sectors of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, demonstration of energy-efficient advanced technologies, collection, recycling, and safe disposal of refrigerators, as well as the development of institutional capacity and human resources.

Special attention was paid to educational programs, knowledge exchange, and expansion of regional cooperation networks.

Following the meeting, the parties reached an agreement on the project documentation, clarified the technical aspects, and agreed on issues related to joint financing. The initiative will be presented at the GEF Assembly in Samarkand, thereby increasing the international community’s attention to efforts to develop energy-efficient cooling systems in the region.

Muhayyo Toshqorayeva, UzA