Fluorinated gases continues to decline in EU: EEA

The European Environment Agency (EEA) on Tuesday published a report saying the production, import and export of fluorinated-gases (F-gases) continued to decline in the European Union (EU).

The report tracks progress towards reaching the EU target of reducing F-gas emissions by two thirds by 2030 compared to 2010 levels.

The F-gas share of the global warming potential of the EU's overall greenhouse gas emissions was 3 percent in 2014, but this share has been on the increase.

Curbing F-gas emissions is therefore an important part of the EU's overall commitment to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The production, imports, exports and supply of F-gases in the EU decreased in 2015, both in physical amounts as well as in amounts weighted by the global warming potential of the gas in question, measured in CO2-equivalent tons, according to the report.

F-gases have a high global warming potential and their phase-down is therefore essential to global efforts to mitigate climate change. Currently, F-gases are mainly used in refrigerators, heat pumps and air-conditioning equipment in buildings and in cars.

Large reductions in F-gas use and emissions are expected from a new phase-down measure, which will progressively cap the sales of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) on the EU market down to 21 percent of baseline levels by 2030. Furthermore, bans on the use of F-gases are expected to result in additional reductions. Endit