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7-11 July 2025, Bangkok, THAILAND
OEWG47 & Workshop on strengthening MP implementation
The Cool Up programme hosted three side events at the 47th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, taking place 7–11 July 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Each session explored a critical pathway toward sustainable cooling, including refrigerant choice, national enforcement, and financial feasibility — with a focus on the MENA region.
The sessions brought together government partners, technical experts, and international organizations to share insights and practical solutions driving the transition to natural refrigerants and climate-friendly cooling systems.
The full Cool Up side event schedule is listed below:
Side Event 1: Why Refrigerant Choice Matters – The Impact of ‘Forever Chemicals’ on the Environment
10 July 2025 | 13:00–15:00 | Asia-Pacific Foyer
This session explored the risks of PFAS-based refrigerants, drawing on Cool Up’s research and demonstration projects. Experts discussed the long-term environmental and health impacts of ‘forever chemicals’ and highlighted policy pathways that support the shift to natural refrigerants.
Speakers:
Eslam Mahdy (Cool Up – Guidehouse),
Barbara Gschrey (Cool Up – Öko-Recherche),
Sinisa Prodanovic (Cool Up – Öko-Recherche),
Martijn Hildebrandt (Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Netherlands),
Jan Dusek (ATMOsphere)
Side Event 2: Financial Feasibility and Innovative Incentives for a Cooler Future
10 July 2025 | 18:00–20:00 | MR-A
This session showcased Cool Up’s work in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Türkiye, including financial feasibility studies and green finance assessments. Speakers explored how tailored incentives and innovative financing can help scale climate-friendly cooling in developing markets.
Speakers:
Eslam Mahdy (Cool Up – Guidehouse),
Jakob Hoffmann (Cool Up – Guidehouse).
Paloma Somohano (UNDP EERF),
Miquel Pitarch Mocholi (United for Efficiency),
Manjeet Singh (Cool Coalition)
Side Event 3: Implementing and enforcing national f-gas rules: Turning commitments into action
11 July 2025 | 18:00–20:00 | Room MR-A
Focusing on practical tools for policy enforcement, this session presented national examples that demonstrate how training, product bans, fiscal tools, and legal frameworks can support the effective implementation of F-gas regulations.
Speakers:
Eslam Mahdy (Cool Up – Guidehouse),
Barbara Gschrey (Cool Up – Öko-Recherche),
Sinisa Prodanovic (Cool Up – Öko-Recherche),
Zeynep Gokcen Asan (Cool Up – UNDP Turkiye),
Lara Haidar (NOU Lebanon),
Dr. Ezzat Lewis (NOU Egypt)
Cool Up continues its efforts to accelerate the transition to sustainable cooling through multi-stakeholder collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing across the MENA region and beyond.