CCAC calls to accelerate HFC reductions

USA: Members of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) have agreed to accelerate efforts to reduce short-lived climate pollutants like HFCs by the end of the next decade.

Meeting a day before the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit, the Coalition’s High Level Assembly put forward a 2030 Vision Statement that aims to ensure the Earth’s atmosphere continues to enable people and the planet to thrive by limiting warming to 1.5˚C and drastically reducing air pollution

The Coalition’s goal is to reduce short-lived climate pollutants beyond recommendations made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its special report Global Warming of 1.5˚C. According to the report, there need to be cuts of 35% by 2030 in emissions of black carbon, a 375 reduction in methane emissions by 2030 and HFCs, (70-80% by 2050) in order to keep warming below 1.5˚C. 

The control measures that the CCAC is working on include a 90% reduction in HFC emissions by 2050 and greater energy efficiency in the cooling sector. The Coalition launched its Efficient Cooling Initiative this year to ensure that, as the world phases down HFCs, replacement cooling technology is also highly energy efficient.

Japan’s environment minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, said Japan was committed to not just reducing the production of HFCs but was also investing heavily in helping countries recover HFCs from discarded cooling equipment.  

France called on countries to sign onto the Biarritz Pledge for Fast Action on Efficient Cooling, initiated during France’s Presidency of the G7 in Biarritz this past August. Several countries have already signed the pledge, which calls on countries to take ambitious measures to improve energy efficiency in the cooling sector and to support the Coalition’s Efficient Cooling Initiative.

France’s delegate, Stéphane Pailler said: “The potential for significant growth in the cooling sector should prompt us to act. With all the countries supporting this commitment, we will take ambitious steps to contribute to the transition to more energy efficient and environmentally friendly solutions.”

Germany announced that it would participate in the work on the CCAC’s new Efficient Cooling Initiative and has earmarked a further €20m for bilateral cooperation with partner countries, for the development of tailor-made solutions to reduce emissions and energy efficiency challenges in the sector.

Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Germany’s state secretary for environment, conservation and nuclear safety said: “We want to play our part in ensuring that the initiated switch to climate-friendly refrigerants increases energy efficiency and thus at least mitigates the rising energy demand for air conditioning. Germany will continue to commit both funding and expertise to help secure the success of the coalition.”

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition is a voluntary partnership of governments, intergovernmental organisations, businesses, scientific institutions and civil society organisations committed to improving air quality and protecting the climate through actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants.