Ownership of white goods has steadily increased with the growth of the Australian middle class. Air conditioning, which was once considered a luxury, has now exploded into a necessity in many households. This increase in energy-intensity has impacted local temperatures by exacerbating climate change.

For the environment, electricity-demand plays an overwhelmingly pivotal role in continuing the production of greenhouse gas emissions. According to calculations made by the IEA, by mid-century the world’s temperature could rise by more than half a degree due to increased air conditioning use.

The establishment of the Kigali Amendment on 1 January 2019 commits signatories to an international cooperation to mitigate climate change through the phase down of hydrofluorocarbons use. The transition to new refrigerants will be facilitated through innovative product designs that are more efficient. In consuming less electricity, the Kigali treaty will be able to see the reduction of about 72 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere between 2019-2050.

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