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Beko urges collaborative action on universal access to refrigeration that doesn't cost the earth
- Undertaken by home appliance expert Beko, the report challenges the public and private sectors to innovate together
ISTANBUL , May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report has highlighted the 'double bind' presented by the rapid expansion of access to domestic refrigeration – the need to balance improvements in global living standards with the environmental impact of the additional 2.3 billion domestic refrigerators that may be in use globally by 2050 (+121% versus 2022).
The report, " " , has been undertaken by home appliance leader Beko, and features contributions by world-leading cooling experts Professor Toby Peters and Dr Leyla Sayin from the University of Birmingham in the UK.
In their contribution to the report, the two experts highlight the many challenges that stand in the way of the universal provision of the essential service of refrigeration.
Rising emissions is the other key concern.
The global energy consumption by appliances and equipment continues to grow every year. This is driven largely by expanding ownership and use of energy-consuming devices, particularly in developing countries. The report estimates that 2.3 billion people worldwide are reaching income levels where they are likely to purchase inexpensive but inefficient, polluting refrigerators. What will happen to these figures as the number of domestic refrigerators in use shoots up, as predicted? By 2050, 4.2 billion domestic refrigerators are predicted to be in use.
, CEO of Beko, says: "It is simply not acceptable to deny those in the Global South access to a comfortable and healthy living due to business-as-usual emissions increases as this population gains access to what many in the Global North have taken for granted for decades. Our question is this: how can more people gain access to essential home appliances, while we ensure efficient energy consumption?"
"We decided to investigate an area of Beko expertise – refrigeration. A fridge at home is linked to a variety of important development and human rights indicators. But more refrigerators mean more energy consumption and emissions, and by extension an increase in the effect of global warming, which is being felt around the world, but acutely in the Global South. Therein lies the conflict that Beko is urging businesses and policymakers to address."
The complexities of the problem are playing out in different ways around the world, which are illuminated by examples in this report. For instance, in , where a huge rural population struggles with access to a reliable supply of electricity and low to average incomes, a large, fast-growing population will nonetheless likely boost the number of refrigerators, with serious implications for global emissions.
, too, struggles with an intermittent electricity supply, although a larger proportion of the population has access. The key issues facing
South Africa are electricity production practices that depend on coal, and the stark inequality that means despite being an upper middle-income country, its poorest citizens may struggle to buy a quality, energy-efficient refrigerator.
Solving the refrigeration problem won't be easy. But there are ways forward. To truly address the problems presented in this report, genuine collaboration between the private and public sectors will be essential, not optional.
needs to research and develop pioneering energy-efficient, low leakage, and affordable refrigeration solutions; communicate the advantages of energy-efficient products; respect local knowledge and build trust among consumers; lobby for stringent regulation; and contribute to global industry standards.
should pursue and enforce international agreements; create National Cooling Action Plans ; run public information campaigns; put processes in place to dispose of older or broken fridges in an environmentally friendly way; and, through advocacy and research, make sure the world's poorest are not excluded from the right to refrigeration.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44168-022-00001-w
A National Cooling Action Plan (NCAP) is a document that
outlines a country's strategy for sustainable cooling . It covers regulatory, policy, technical and operational areas to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the cooling sector. NCAPs are seen as an effective tool to strategize sustainable cooling actions.
has throughout the world with its global operations through its subsidiaries in (i.e. Türkiye, UK, Italy , Romania , Slovakia , Poland , South Africa , Russia , Pakistan , India , Bangladesh , Thailand , and China ). has owned or used with a limited license (Arçelik, Beko, Whirlpool*, Grundig, Hotpoint, Arctic, Ariston*, Leisure, Indesit, Blomberg, Defy, Dawlance, Hitachi*, Voltas Beko, Singer*, ElektraBregenz, Flavel, Bauknecht, Privileg, Altus, Ignis, Polar). became the largest white goods company in Europe with its market share (based on volumes) and reached a consolidated turnover of in 2023. Beko's across the globe are home to over 2,300 researchers and hold more than 3,500 international registered patent applications to date. For the 5th consecutive year, the highest score in the DHP Household Durables industry (based on the results dated 27 October 2023) in the of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment was achieved.** Beko's vision is 'Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide.'
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