19th SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNFCCC

November 11-22, 2013

A CALL TO ACTION ON HFCs

 

Today (Monday, November 11, 2013) negotiators from more than 190 countries are in Warsaw, Poland for the 19^th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (C0P19), aware of multiple warnings from the scientific community that the planet’s climate system is on the brink.

 

Among the issues up for discussion will be proposals to institute a global phase-down of the production and consumption of the family of chemicals known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol, a quick, effective and relatively straightforward initiative which would mitigate at least 100 billion tonnes (100 gigatonnes) of CO₂-equivalent by 2050.

 

HFC emissions are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and are predicted to spiral to 5.5-8.8 gigatonnes of CO₂-equivalent by 2050, equivalent to 9-19 per cent of global CO₂ emissions under a business-as-usual scenario.

Campaigners from the London- and Washington–based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) will be in Warsaw to call on countries to support a consumption and production phase-down of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol with accounting of emissions remaining under the UNFCCC. 

 

PRODUCTS AND EVENTS:

November 11

• Briefing Paper: A Call to Action on HFCs – view the EIA briefing here

 

November 13

• Side event: Catalyzing Pre-2020 Mitigation Action – Phasing down HFCs and Reducing Methane Emissions (EIA and Blue-Green Alliance)