WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) attended a roundtable discussion at the White House today, at which a series of voluntary commitments came from some of the country’s largest chemical firms and retailers, such as Coca-Cola, Target, and Red Bull, to begin a rapid phase down of R-134a and similar chemicals known as HFCs that are used in nearly every office, home, and automobile in the country. The Administration is also stepping up diplomatic efforts to enact a phase out production and consumption of these potent greenhouse gases under the Montreal Protocol atmosphere.
The announcement of actions on HFCs occur the same day as International Ozone Day, which was created by the UN General Assembly in 1994 to memorialize the entry into force of the most successful international environmental treaty, the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol was ratified by all 196 countries of the United Nations to rid the world of ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
ODS are man-made chemicals used in refrigeration and air conditioning. As ODS have been phased out, these chemicals have been replaced in large part by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which, while ozone friendly, are super greenhouse gases hundreds and thousands of times as damaging to the climate as carbon dioxide. The use of HFCs is projected to increase dramatically, and could reach 9-19 percent of projected carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 if immediate actions are not taken.
HFCs are man-made products and, therefore, their use and associated emissions can be reduced by transitioning to new climate-friendly alternatives. Fortunately, industry has responded to the demand for substitutes, and new technologies are being commercialized for almost all uses of HFCs.
The announcements from the White House today demonstrate the interest of the Administration in working with industry to significantly and immediately fight climate change.
“Given the mandate of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, we expect American companies will be world leaders in tackling HFCs,” said Mark W. Roberts, Senior Counsel for EIA. “EIA looks forward to the announcements made by companies today. Transitioning to low-global warming alternatives will allow the United States to lead in the establishment of the next generation of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.”
The Montreal Protocol successfully eliminated 98 percent of ODS and prevented the emission of over 200 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents to the atmosphere. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme confirmed last week that the phase-out of these chemicals is decreasing their abundance in the atmosphere, permitting the ozone layer to recover. Without action, rising HFC emissions have the potential to negate the positive climate benefits of the Montreal Protocol.
“The event today sends a strong message to all companies that HFC-based cooling and refrigeration equipment has no future. Consumers don’t want to use products that seriously damage the climate, companies want to remain competitive in the world market, and governments recognize the need to conciliate the two. The most logical next step to address this global issue is amending the Montreal Protocol to immediately phase out HFCs,” said Alexander von Bismarck, Executive Director at EIA.
Contact:
Maggie Dewane, Press Officer, EIA, 202-483-6621, mdewane@eia-global.org