Why in news?
Recently Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change released the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP).
About the plan:
- India is one of the first countries in the world to develop a comprehensive Cooling Action plan.
- The overarching goal of ICAP is to provide sustainable cooling and thermal comfort for all while securing environmental and socio-economic benefits for the society.
- It provides an integrated vision towards cooling across sectors encompassing inter alia reduction of cooling demand, refrigerant transition, enhancing energy efficiency and better technology options with a 20 year time horizon.
- The ICAP seeks to
- Reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20% to 25% by 2037-38
- Reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by 2037-38
- Reduce cooling energy requirements by 25% to 40% by 2037-38
- Recognize “cooling and related areas” as a thrust area of research under national S&T Programme
- Training and certification of 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022-23, synergizing with Skill India Mission.
Benefits:
- Thermal comfort for all – provision for cooling for EWS and LIG housing
- Sustainable cooling – low GHG emissions related to cooling
- Doubling Farmers Income – better cold chain infrastructure – better value of produce to farmers, less wastage of produce
- Skilled workforce for better livelihoods and environmental protection
- Make in India – domestic manufacturing of air-conditioning and related cooling equipment’s
- Robust R&D on alternative cooling technologies
