Fluorinated greenhouse gases, also called F-gases, are one of the main causes of global warming, and thus their elimination at the European level has been a matter of debate for some time. Last month, Parliament voted in favor of reviewing existing legislation with a view to further reducing market F-gases, with a view to eliminating their consumption and production completely by 2050. Dutch Greens MP Bas Eickhout, who supports the front-row debate, is ready.”
The strongest fluorinated gases (used mainly in refrigeration), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), responsible for the rapid depletion of the ozone layer, were banned by the Montreal Protocol, a UN international agreement, in the 1980s. only to hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), better known as F-gas. However, these gases, used primarily in refrigerators and air conditioning systems, apparently contributed much more to global warming than carbon dioxide emissions: their effect is 24,000 times greater than that of CO2 molecules. , explains Euractiv.
The protocol was later changed to Kigali (name of the newly negotiated country, the capital of Rwanda) in 2016 to further reduce F-gases. Aware that today around 2.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions are due to the latter, European legislators now believe it is necessary to change existing regulation, even though the industries that use them are already lobbying to soften the text.
The picture is further complicated, given that heat pumps (one of the main allies in the fight against climate change) heavily use fluorinated gases to generate energy. Various industry lobbies have sought to capitalize on the central role of heat pumps in the energy transition to thwart the tighter regulation that Parliament demands.
EPEE, the “voice” of the European refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry (representing giants like South Korean Samsung), was the first to make its voice heard. Various industry organizations argue that the impact of F-gas on the climate is negligible given the drastic emissions reductions they offer, and this seems like a valid argument indeed. Indeed, analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that the difference in CO2 savings between fossil-based heating and heat pumps is significant even if the latter is powered by fluorinated gases.
Faced with the increasing use of these gases (which are also used, for example, in electrical equipment or anesthetics), Parliament’s proposal aims to reduce their volumes to 12% of 2015 levels by 2027. That’s one-fifth compared to the commission’s original proposal in 2022. Overall, to accelerate the transition to climate neutrality, Parliament wants to phase out the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) starting in 2039 and by 2050.
“Many European companies are already at the forefront of this development and will benefit from it,” said Dutch lawmaker Eickhout. Even the EPP, the largest centre-right political group in the European Parliament, seems to agree. “German companies such as Viessmann or Siemens Energy already offer F-gas-free alternatives for heat pumps and power plants,” said German Peter Liese, who represents EPP on the parliament’s environmental committee.
The main aim is to strengthen the requirements for the placing on the single market of products containing F-gases. In addition, MEPs want to improve monitoring of illicit trade in F-gases by allowing customs authorities to seize and confiscate them.
Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.