NEWS & EVENTS : GENERAL INFORMATION
Commission launches consultation on further reducing industrial gas emissions
09.29.2011
The European Commission launched a public consultation on strengthening EU measures to reduce emissions of fluorinated gases, a group of industrial gases which are extremely powerful contributors to global warming.
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The Commission identifies wide scope for further cost-effective emission reductions, mainly due to the growing feasibility of replacing F-gases in several sectors with alternatives that make less or no contribution to climate change. Potentially the EU could eliminate up to two thirds of today's fluorinated gas emissions by 2030, it finds.
The potential policy options being consulted on include new voluntary agreements, bans for new products and equipment and the introduction of a scheme for phasing-down the placing of HFCs on the EU market.
The Commission's review of the 2006 F-gas Regulation shows that this measure and a parallel Directive addressing the use of fluorinated gases in mobile air conditioning are already contributing to the achievement of EU and Member State emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The policy is expected to prevent almost half of projected F-gas emissions by 2050 if shortcomings in their implementation and enforcement are rectified. The Commission therefore calls upon Member States to intensify their efforts in this respect.
However, despite these significant impacts of the current legislation, total F-gas emissions are not expected to decrease in the long term compared to today's level. This is because they are being used in a growing number of appliances, such as air conditioners and refrigeration. These are, however, among the sectors where the use of alternatives is becoming increasingly feasible.
F-gases currently account for some 2% of EU greenhouse gas emissions. Stabilisation of F-gas emissions at today's levels, without further measures, means that their share could grow substantially in future.
The consultation runs until 19 December 2011 and is addressed to all interested stakeholders.
More information
For more information and to participate in the consultation, see the following site:
http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/f-gas/index_en.htm
