EPEE (The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment) has welcomed efforts by the European Commission to revise the F-gas regulation and send a strong message to the rest of the world that action needs to be taken on F-gases.
EPEE, which represents the European heating and cooling industry, fully supports the Commission's pledge to introduce a phase-down mechanism. It says that the decision will help the industry move towards the elimination of HFCs with a high GWP, where feasible.
Director General of EPEE, Andrea Voigt, said: 'If we are serious about reducing emissions, then we need a measure that leaves the choice open for selecting the best solutions for each and every application, everywhere in Europe. There is no perfect refrigerant! With this in mind, we fully support the Commission's intention to gradually phase-down HFCs.'
Based on findings of a study carried out by SKM Enviros, EPEE estimates that a cap and phase-down mechanism of 30% in 2020 and up to 65% in 2030 will achieve the EU's climate target and the required emission reductions of 70 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent within the framework of the low carbon roadmap. It agrees with the conclusions of the Commission's own research that a phase-down is the most cost-effective measure to reduce emissions.
The new F-Gas Regulation proposal will now go into a co-decision procedure where the EU Commission, member states and parliament will need to reach an agreement.
