BRUSSELS: The European Union agreed a deal on Thursday to slash the use of super-potent greenhouse gases in fridges and air conditioners, part of the EU’s broader plans to cut CO₂ emissions and protect the environment.
Negotiations involving representatives from EU member states and lawmakers concluded with an agreement on legislation that commits the EU to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) entirely by 2050.
Spanish Climate Minister Teresa Ribera emphasized the detrimental impact of such substances on the planet’s health, asserting that their reduction is a crucial step toward combating climate change. Talks addressing the reduction of fluorinated gases (f-gases), synthetic gases used in heat pumps, refrigerators, aerosols, and foams, had commenced earlier in the year.
Under the agreed-upon legislation, the sale of products containing f-gases will be gradually prohibited, with distinct timelines for different products. For instance, a comprehensive ban on f-gases in split air conditioning and heat pumps is set to take effect from 2035.
Highlighting the significant climate impact of f-gases, Dutch lawmaker Bas Eickhout, the EU Parliament’s chief negotiator on the legislation, expressed satisfaction with the swift elimination of these potent greenhouse gases.
While the law awaits formal approval from the majority of EU lawmakers and member countries, this step is typically a procedural formality for pre-agreed deals.
