The European Council has adopted two regulations to phase down fluorinated gases (F-gases) and other substances that cause global warming and deplete the ozone layer, as reported by ESG Today on January 29. The approval by the Council is the last major step before the implementation of the new regulations. Under the new rules, the consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), responsible for around 90% of F-gas emissions, will be entirely phased out by 2050, with a 95% reduction by 2030 from 2015 levels. Additionally, the production rights granted by the European Commission to produce HFCs will be phased down to a minimum level of 15% by 2036. Furthermore, the regulations include a ban on delivering products and equipment containing HFCs to the EU market and exporting obsolete products containing ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) to countries outside the EU.

F-gases, such as HFCs, perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), are widely used in everyday products like fridges, air conditioners, and medicines. These potent greenhouse gases (GHGs) have a global warming effect several hundred thousand times stronger than carbon dioxide (CO2). Statistically, F-gases are responsible for approximately 2.5% of the EU’s GHG emissions. The European Commission estimates that the implementation of the new rules would avoid 500 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions by 2050, aligning with the bloc’s climate neutrality targets for 2050. The elimination of ODSs will also help restore the protective ozone layer, crucial for shielding the Earth from cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

Sources:

https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-adopts-new-regulation-eliminating-500-million-tonnes-of-greenhouse-gas-emissions/

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/01/29/fluorinated-gases-and-ozone-depleting-substances-council-greenlights-new-rules-to-reduce-harmful-emissions/