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Rising Temperatures Put Millions Across Latin America and the Caribbean at Risk as Cooling Appliances Remain Inefficient

Washington, DC, 25 February 2026 — As temperatures rise and demand for air conditioning accelerates, new research reveals that nearly 70 million people across Latin America and the Caribbean exposed to rising heat risks lack efficient cooling appliances.

Despite the region’s growing need for sustainable cooling, only 15% of households own an air conditioner, leaving millions vulnerable to extreme heat. For many families, the affordability of purchasing and operating an air conditioner remains a key barrier to sustainable cooling access. Consequently, the lack of access to adequate cooling along with rising temperatures severely affects human health.

A new report from CLASP and the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD), with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) finds that these challenges are compounded by environmental dumping—the export of low-efficiency, climate-harming cooling equipment that does not meet existing standards in its country of origin.

Environmental dumping raises household energy bills, increases greenhouse gas emissions, and threatens to lock the region into decades of low-efficiency and polluting cooling infrastructure.

  • The research, which focused on Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, and Uruguay, finds:
  • 44% of all new air conditioners sold in Latin America and the Caribbean are categorized as environmental dumping, which means they cannot be legally sold in the countries where they are manufactured.
  • More than one-third of new room air conditioners sold in the region use obsolete refrigerants, which are currently phased down or phased out under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and its Kigali Amendment.
  • Existing cooling access gaps disproportionately affect low-income households and women, and the influx of outdated equipment deepens energy inequality and increases emissions.
  • Without stronger efficiency and refrigerant standards, the region could lock in 173 million tons of CO₂e by 2050, emissions equivalent to more than three coal-fired power plants over the next 20 years.

Despite these challenges, the report highlights clear positive pathways for action. Brazil and Grenada are emerging as regional leaders by adopting modern efficiency standards and climate-friendly refrigerant policies and initiatives that protect consumers and close the door to environmental dumping.

While strong national efficiency policies are among the most effective ways for countries to protect themselves from environmental dumping, solutions ultimately require shared responsibility and close collaboration between importing- and exporting-country governments, the private sector, civil society, and international partners.

As extreme heat becomes a defining risk, access to efficient and climate-friendly cooling appliances is no longer optional; it is essential,” said Martina Otto, Head of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition Secretariat. “This year marks ten years since the adoption of the Kigali Amendment, a decade that has demonstrated how effective international partnerships can drive meaningful action. By acting together now, importing and exporting countries have a clear opportunity to shape markets, protect communities, and steer the inevitable growth in cooling toward solutions that advance climate justice while delivering economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Environmental dumping is an equity issue. As our research shows, millions of people across Latin America and the Caribbean are being left behind with inefficient, outdated cooling equipment that costs too much money to run. Manufacturers have the know-how to produce better appliances but are lacking the right incentives to manufacture and export them to Latin America and other regions in the Global South. This undermines people’s ability to stay safe in a warming world and deepens existing inequalities. —Ana Maria Carreño, Senior Director of Climate at CLASP

We must pursue innovative business models that do not export energy poverty and other burdens of obsolete cooling technologies to vulnerable countries in the Global South. Multilateral platforms, South-South cooperation, and collaborative government-industry partnerships can help. In this way, these countries can leapfrog to becoming innovation hubs for next-generation cooling solutions that support clean air, climate resilience, and prosperity. —Tad Ferris, Senior Counsel at IGSD

For inquiries, please reach out to Marina Baur, Senior Communication Associate, CLASP at mbaur@clasp.ngo.

Pathways to Prevent the Environmental Dumping of Climate-Harming Room Air Conditioners in Latin America & the Caribbean

CLASP via Shutterstock
Millions of people across Latin America & the Caribbean are being left behind with inefficient, outdated cooling equipment that's too expensive to run. Manufacturers have the know-how to produce better appliances but lack the incentives to manufacture and export them to the Global South. Ana Maria Carreño
Senior Director of Climate, CLASP

Brazil Put a Spotlight on its Efficiency Agenda at COP30

In recent years, Brazil has taken initial steps toward a more sustainable future powered by energy efficiency. As the host of COP30, held in Belém in November, Brazil put a spotlight on this smart climate solution for the world to see.

The country is already a global leader in sustainable energy, generating 89% of its electricity with renewables. However, rapidly rising energy demand and decreased hydropower capacity are forcing policymakers and utilities to reevaluate the current energy mix.

Global warming and Brazil’s deep income inequality further complicate this challenge. For example, Brazil’s summers are growing hotter; in 2023, the country hit a new record temperature of 112.6° F (44.8° C). As a result, air conditioning, once considered a luxury, is becoming necessary for health and productivity. But today, air conditioning is found in only 20% of all homes, concentrated mainly in higher-income households.

The challenges lower-income Brazilians face in accessing energy services like air conditioning are reflected in the fact that almost half of the lowest-income Brazilians spend more than half of their household income on electricity and gas.

Air conditioners above a Rio de Janeiro street.

Credit: CLASP

Brazil’s solution for booming energy demand and high electric bills

Brazil’s leaders increasingly view efficiency as a cost-effective, climate-friendly tool for meeting the country’s energy needs while addressing economic barriers to energy access.

Analysis reveals that, in the absence of other interventions, meeting skyrocketing energy demand would require increasing domestic natural gas production by up to 300%. To avoid this, the government can embrace energy efficiency, making services like cooking and cooling less energy-intensive and therefore reducing overall energy demand.

Appliance efficiency has provided early wins in Brazil, although there are major opportunities to do more. New policies for air conditioners and LED lights are making the models available in Brazil more efficient. This, in turn, makes these appliances more affordable to operate—and therefore accessible to more people.

COP host puts efficiency on the podium

In conversations throughout COP30, the Brazilian government and media showcased energy efficiency as a key tool for meeting national and global climate targets, growing the country’s economy, and delivering accessible energy services for all.

Panelists from COP30 ABDI energy efficiency event.

In his speech to negotiators and delegates at the COP’s opening plenary session, Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin underscored the importance of meeting the COP29 pledge to double energy efficiency by 2030. “This COP must mark the beginning of a decade of acceleration and delivery—the moment when rhetoric gives way to concrete action, and when all parties move from setting targets to fulfilling them,” he said.

During a day dedicated to energy efficiency, the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (often referred to by its Portuguese acronym, ABDI) put together a packed agenda bringing together leaders from government, businesses, and international organizations to discuss how Brazil can achieve its goals through efficiency. During a session about the role of efficiency in the energy transition, speakers noted that a significant advantage of efficiency compared to other solutions is that technologies like efficient industrial equipment already exist and can be implemented immediately.

Another event organized by Casa Civil, the powerful organization run by Brazil’s presidential chief of staff, focused on the role of efficiency in achieving a just energy transition and expanding the Brazilian industry’s presence in the global marketplace. The event highlighted the fact that local appliance manufacturers can increase sales by making their products more efficient, which allows them to match international benchmarks and sell their products around the world.

Major Brazilian media outlets also jumped into the efficiency conversation at COP. Folha de São Paulo, the country’s largest newspaper, co-hosted a session with the Crux Alliance, a philanthropic organization focused on global climate policy, on leveraging demand-side strategies to deliver on renewable energy and efficiency targets.

Carving a sustainable path forward

With COP delegates from around the globe now back home, they have many opportunities to keep energy efficiency front of mind—and strong reasons for doing so.

“Efficiency lowers costs, expands access, and strengthens domestic industry,” said Edilaine Camillo, leader of CLASP’s Brazil program. “The more elements we add to this puzzle, the clearer it becomes how interconnected the energy transition is—and how it can positively impact multiple sectors of the economy and people’s everyday lives.”

Find CLASP at MOP37

From 3–7 November 2025, CLASP will be in Nairobi, Kenya, to take part in the 37th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, also known as MOP37. In a side event, CLASP experts will discuss the harmful impacts of environmental dumping of obsolete room air conditioners in the Global South and offer solutions.

Join CLASP’s side event

  • When: Thursday, 6 November from 1–3:00 pm East Africa Time (EAT)
  • Where: CR-11
  • Click here to participate remotely via Teams.

CLASP’s event Pathways to Stop Environmental Dumping of Climate-Harming Room Air Conditioners: Lessons From Latin America, the Caribbean, and Beyond will explore how unprotected markets in the Global South are vulnerable to the environmentally harmful dumping of new but low-efficiency room air conditioners with obsolete refrigerants.

Low-efficiency cooling appliances not only waste energy but often rely on high-global warming potential refrigerants targeted for phasedown and phaseout under the Montreal Protocol. As a result, climate change worsens, cooling access gaps may widen, and gender inequalities may increase.

The event will be co-hosted by CLASP, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), and the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, along with local champions from Brazil, Grenada, and the African continent.

At the event, CLASP and its partners will:

  • Preview findings from our upcoming research report
  • Share solutions on how importing- and exporting-country governments, the private sector, civil society, and international partners can work together to prevent the environmental dumping of room air conditioners
  • Spotlight leaders from Brazil, Grenada, and the African continent who will share best practices for overcoming these challenges

Connect with CLASP

Attending MOP37:

For questions about the event or to connect with our experts, please contact Marina Bauer at mbaur@clasp.ngo.

Doubling Energy Efficiency with Appliances

Appliance efficiency could provide roughly one fifth of the reduction in energy demand needed to meet a pivotal climate commitment, according to CLASP’s analysis “Doubling Energy Efficiency with Appliances: How governments can leverage appliances to reach climate targets.” With nearly 110 countries pledging at COP28 to double annual energy efficiency improvements by 2030, more ambitious appliance policies are critical to reaching this goal before the narrow window for net zero by mid-century closes.

Key Findings

  • To get on track for net zero emissions by mid-century, the average global annual rate of improvement in energy intensity must double to at least 4% by 2030. Appliance efficiency can deliver approximately 20% of the total reduction in energy demand required to meet this goal.
  • Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia have recently taken significant steps to integrate appliance efficiency into their national strategies, recognizing its critical role in achieving energy and climate goals.

Recommendations

  • Policymakers must rapidly implement stringent minimum efficiency standards for appliances, ensuring that they meet or exceed the best standards currently in place. Countries with world-leading standards should increase them further to reflect the levels of today’s best available technologies.
  • Governments need to embed clear, measurable appliance efficiency targets into their national climate goals. They must also track progress with standardized metrics to stay on course to meet the doubling efficiency goal.
  • All stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society must strengthen international and cross-sectoral collaboration to accelerate global energy efficiency gains. This cost-effective approach includes sharing technical expertise, conducting joint market surveillance, and harmonizing standards to overcome common barriers.

 

Brazil

South America

CLASP’s New Brazil Office to Support Appliance Efficiency

CLASP is proud to announce the opening of our sixth global office in São Paulo, Brazil. Our other regional offices are in Brussels, Delhi, Jakarta, Nairobi, and Washington DC.

Why Brazil?

As a vocal supporter of climate progress in the Global South, Brazil recognizes the cross-cutting benefits of climate mitigation and adaptation to safeguard its economy, secure its energy supply, and improve the lives of its people.

Seven years of collaboration in Brazil

Since 2018, CLASP has been working closely with key Brazilian policymakers and partners to provide technical support that advances efficiency policies across a range of appliances. Improving the efficiency of Brazil’s appliances is a proven way to meet national climate targets and enhance quality of life for millions. Appliance efficiency makes critical energy services, like cooling and cooking, more accessible and affordable for all.

From 2020 to 2025, CLASP tackled policies in Brazil that will avoid more than 54 Mt CO[sub]2[/sub] through 2030.

Through this new regional office, CLASP will continue building strong partnerships and cooperation with leaders in government agencies, utilities, and the private sector. We aim to drive ambitious energy efficiency policies, improve local industry’s ability to produce more efficient appliances, and increase access to basic energy services. The office also strengthens CLASP’s commitment to impact in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Staffed with local experts

CLASP’s São Paulo office is staffed by local experts in appliance energy efficiency, bringing decades of experience and partnership expertise.

CLASP Brazil Team

Find CLASP at the 2025 SEforAll Global Forum

CLASP shows how efficient, high-quality appliances alleviate energy poverty and promote sustainable development—positively impacting billions of people. Efficient appliances are also a vital climate solution as they are a proven, cost-effective means of reducing climate emissions, improving resilience for climate-vulnerable communities.

Living without access to electricity is still a reality for more than 675 million people worldwide. This energy poverty has detrimental effects on health, productivity, and livelihoods. To tackle this, CLASP drives technology innovation and catalyzes appliance market growth, putting efficient, affordable, high-quality appliances and equipment within reach of low-income families and communities, as well as smallholder farmers.

CLASP’s landmark Net Zero Heroes report showed that the appliance sector accounts for nearly 40% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions. Improving appliance efficiency is a proven, cost-effective solution to slash emissions.

To share these solutions and advance discussions, CLASP will attend the 2025 Sustainable Energy for All Forum (SEforALL Global Forum) on 12 and 13 March to showcase how efficient appliances are pivotal for climate action and sustainable development.

See where our experts will speak and join us in supercharging appliance efficiency.

For questions or additional speaking opportunities, please contact Stella Madete (smadete@clasp.ngo)

Maximizing Motor Efficiency to Minimize Emissions

Electric motors transform electrical energy into mechanical energy, powering everything from household appliances to equipment in commercial buildings and industrial facilities. They are essential components of electric motor-driven systems (EMDS), which currently account for around 30% of global electricity demand1.

Industrial motors, in particular, are the main drivers behind increasing global demand for electricity2, with approximately 65% of industry’s electricity consumption powering motor-driven systems3. Yet, despite their crucial role, many motors and motor systems are outdated and inefficient. The International Energy Agency reports that low efficiency motors represent two-thirds of the current global stock4. This contributes heavily to energy waste and increasing carbon emissions.

Looking ahead, CLASP’s initiatives in China, the European Union, India, and the United States aim to avoid up to nine gigatons of CO2 emissions by 2050.

Improving the energy efficiency of electric motors and EMDS presents significant potential for reducing electricity demand and curbing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. By partnering with national stakeholders to raise standards, implementing replacement incentive programs, and promoting cross-sector collaboration, CLASP is driving global efforts to unlock this potential.

CLASP’s global efforts to make motors more efficient

In Brazil, a partnership between CLASP and the Ministry of Mines and Energy is paving the way for an ambitious new regulatory agenda. This aims to establish the country’s first-ever efficiency standards for pumps and air compressors by 2027. Setting minimum efficiency standards helps phase out the least efficient models and prevents businesses from getting stuck with outdated, energy-wasting technologies. CLASP will continue working closely with the Ministry to help ensure the timely completion of the regulatory agenda and the implementation of key policies in the next two years.

Meanwhile, China is making significant strides in industrial efficiency and the potential benefits of improving motor efficiency are immense. Motors represent 55% of the country’s total energy consumption and 75% of its industrial energy use5. Since 2023, CLASP has supported the China National Institute of Standardization in developing two new efficiency standards for high-voltage induction motors and permanent magnet synchronous motors. These new standards are expected to cut 920 megatons of CO2 emissions by 2040. They will also position China as the first country to adopt a policy exceeding the world’s most energy-efficient motor standard, IE5, setting a new benchmark for global industrial standards.

Motors account for over 50% of India’s industrial electricity consumption6. CLASP is supporting the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in strengthening efficiency standards for three-phase induction motors and providing technical assistance for a new labeling program for single-phase induction motors to meet growing demand. Together, the labeling programs for three-phase and single-phase induction motors are expected to save approximately 30.1 terawatt hours of electricity and reduce 23.83 megatons of CO2 emissions, contributing significantly to India’s energy efficiency and climate goals.

CLASP, in partnership with SAMA^Verte, is helping build a competitive, sustainable motor industry in Pakistan. Through the Industry Accelerator program, local manufacturers gain access to technical expertise and resources to produce high-efficiency components for electric motors. The program strengthens the local manufacturing sector by reducing dependency on imports and enabling businesses to expand their market share. For industries that rely on these motors, the shift toward high-efficiency components translates into lower energy costs and reduced emissions. By 2050, the program is expected to reduce 12.8 megatons of CO2 emissions and improve motor efficiency by 10%.

These initiatives, along with CLASP’s upcoming projects in other countries, will help reduce global energy consumption, increase industrial energy efficiency, and support industry in shifting to more environmentally-friendly processes. CLASP collaborates with policymakers, industry leaders, and other experts to create a more sustainable future for people and the planet.

Are you interested in driving industrial innovation in your region? Connect with CLASP to explore collaboration opportunities.

0. International Energy Agency “World Energy Outlook 2019” https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/98909c1b-aabc-4797-9926-35307b418cdb/WEO2019-free.pdf

1. International Energy Agency “World Energy Outlook 2019” https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/98909c1b-aabc-4797-9926-35307b418cdb/WEO2019-free.pdf

3. International Energy Agency “World Energy Outlook 2019” https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/98909c1b-aabc-4797-9926-35307b418cdb/WEO2019-free.pdf

4. International Copper Association “ICA China Motor Program: 20 Years of Promoting Energy Efficiency” https://internationalcopper.org/resource/ica-china-motor-program-20-years-of-promoting-energy-efficiency/

5. International Copper Association India “Energy Efficient Motors” https://copperindia.org/energy-efficient-motors/