The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy has announced support for new policies and actions from the Obama government and public and private sectors to reduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions by 80 percent by 2050. This announcement was made yesterday, which was the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, during discussions with leaders in the industry.
The discussions focused on industry support for the phasing down of hydrofluorocarbons through an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, a treaty established in 1987 to address the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer. Hydrofluorocabons were introduced to achieve a rapid phase out of ozone depleting substances.
Now the Alliance, which represents almost all of the U.S. hydrofluorocarbon production are committing billions of dollars in research of new technologies and improving energy efficiency, as the technology and efficiency demands continue to grow.
The Alliance will take action to facilitate the reduction of hydrofluorocarbons in many areas, including but not limited to–supporting negotiation of an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, working with government agencies and industry leaders to provide technology assessments and workshops, forming codes and safety standard task forces and participating in effective monitoring and evaluation programs.
There will not only be commitment by the Obama administration in working towards these goals, there will also be commitment in the private sector that span the entire hydrofluorocarbon supply chain–starting from where the chemical are produced, right through to where consumers see them in supermarkets. The private sector commitment involves major companies and corporations, including but not limited to: Coca-Cola, the Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Institute, Danfoss, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, PepsiCo, Red Bull, Target and Thermo King.
More information on the Alliance’s goals and their methods to achieve these goals, both with government and with the private sector, can be found here: Alliance HFC Phasedown Commitment.
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