Driven by climate change and rising temperatures, the demand for cooling and air conditioning (RAC) units is rising rapidly worldwide. As a result, the stock of appliances, foams and products containing refrigerants is also increasing. The excessive use of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), present in existing and old cooling equipment, insulation foam or refrigerant cylinders, is leading to the continuous accumulation of large ODS and HFC banks. However, when such equipment is not maintained and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner, these substances are released into the atmosphere, further exacerbating the climate crisis.
This dynamic creates a vicious cycle: as global temperatures rise, demand for cooling increases, which in turn drives further emissions and intensifies climate change.
COPA, the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance, was initiated by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action in 2021 to address this challenge. It aims to break this cycle by promoting improved management of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). As both a project and a global alliance, COPA has focused on raising awareness and fostering collaborative action to improve the management and disposal of gases and foams in old cooling appliances. Since its launch, COPA has played a key role in drawing attention to this global challenge.
The COPA project was managed by GIZ and jointly implemented with UNIDO and UNDP. Within GIZ, COPA was integrated into the Proklima programme, which has been promoting the worldwide expansion of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient cooling technologies since 1995. In this context, GIZ was further commissioned to provide the Secretariat and set up the internal processes and structures for COPA as a member-driven coalition of organisations and countries committed to accelerating the global shift towards sustainable refrigerant management.
China was a project partner country in the COPA project and played a crucial role in its implementation. As the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of refrigerants, China faces significant challenges, but also substantial opportunities for transitioning its cooling sector towards sustainable refrigerant management. In collaboration with COPA, key actors and stakeholders in China conducted a range of activities to build knowledge, raise awareness and pilot solutions for Lifecycle Refrigerant Management (LRM) and sustainable management ODS and HFCs.
The COPA project successfully concluded on 31 December 2025. While the project has come to an end, the COPA alliance continues to operate as a platform for collaboration, enabling organisations and countries to advance the shift to sustainable refrigerant management. Only four years after its inauguration, COPA has evolved into a global, member-driven coalition, guided by an elected Steering Committee and supported by a Secretariat.
More information about the COPA alliance is available at: Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance – COPA
