The European Union is increasingly closer to taking an important step to combat climate change: the European Parliament and the Council of the EU (representatives of the 27 member states) have agreed this Thursday to gradually reduce, until their total disappearance in 2050, the fluorinated gases found in refrigerators or air conditioners and that have a high warming power when they end up in the atmosphere. The agreement also confirms the progressive end of other substances harmful to the ozone layer. In total, it is expected that this provisional pact, which must still be ratified by MEPs and States in order to enter into force, will prevent the emission of up to 500 million tons of greenhouse gases until mid-century.
“The agreement is an important step in our common objective of fighting climate change and will help us achieve our ambitious climate objectives,” celebrated the third vice president and acting minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera. For his part, the rapporteur of the European Parliament who led the negotiations on behalf of the legislative body, Bas Eickhout, has also assured that what has been agreed is an “ambitious” agreement that will “end” fluorinated gases, “extremely harmful to the environment.” ”. At the same time, he has celebrated that the agreement gives “clarity” and “investment certainty” to companies. “This law will be good for the environment and for the European economy,” he stressed.
The Commission has also welcomed a double agreement – on fluorinated gases and on substances that deplete the ozone layer (ODS) – which, it assures, will make it possible to avoid in total “almost 500 million tonnes of new emissions” of greenhouse gases. until 2050, thus contributing to the EU’s goal of reducing at least 55% of emissions by 2030 and reaching climate neutrality by mid-century.
As recalled by the community executive in a statement, fluorinated gases are currently responsible for 2.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. With the new agreement, which reinforces the current European standards on hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), the most commonly used fluorinated gas and which represents 90% of emissions of this type of gas, its use will be reduced by up to 95% in 2030 in comparison with the values of 2015, to reduce it to zero in 2050.
To this end, among others, the agreement provides for new restrictions on the use of this type of gas. Thus, new air conditioners, charcoal pumps and other types of electrical equipment such as home refrigerators or freezers must use the least harmful fluorinated gases and, in some cases, their use will even be completely prohibited. These new restrictions will apply between 2025 and 2035, depending on each team’s ability to move to more environmentally friendly solutions.
The agreement also provides for a ban on the export of obsolete devices that use refrigerants with a “high global warming potential.” If they cannot be sold within the EU, they cannot be shipped elsewhere either. Finally, HFC production will be cut to a minimum of 15% by 2036.
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The negotiated text presents a series of “efficient, proportionate and dissuasive” sanctions that States may apply to those who violate the new restrictions. Penalties range from fines to seizure of products and even temporary sales bans.
The agreement has also confirmed the ban, with very strict exceptions, of the vast majority of substances harmful to the ozone layer (ODS). Likewise, the obligation to recover substances that deplete the ozone layer for their destruction, recycling or regeneration is extended to new sectors.
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