The International Energy Agency predicts that 10 air conditioners will be sold every second from here to 2030 – with long-lasting consequences for our energy consumption and the planet. Often considered as a side-show to research and policy covering heating; cooling is potentially the most significant opportunity we have to moderate the trajectory of energy demand. This talk will provide an overview of the challenges surrounding cooling, it’s importance in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and a framework to tackle the future of cooling demand, as proposed by the Oxford Martin School’s Future of Cooling Programme (Nature Sustainability – October 2020).