[ad_1]
Learn how the EU works to scale back emissions from greenhouse gases moreover CO2.
Because the EU works onerous to cut back CO2 emissions, it’s also making efforts to manage different greenhouse gases heating up planet Earth, equivalent to methane, fluorinated gases – also called F-gases – and ozone-depleting substances. Though they’re current in smaller volumes than CO2 within the environment, they’ll have a major warming impact.
MEPs from the atmosphere committee name for formidable emission reductions of fluorinated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. They assist the European Fee’s proposals to encourage the usage of alternate options to fluorinated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances the place doable or to place measures in place to scale back their leakage and emission throughout manufacturing or use.
Members will vote on Parliament’s positions on reductions for fluorinated gasoline emission and ozone-depleting substances on the finish of March 2023 forward of launching negotiations with EU governments.
Chopping fluorinated greenhouse gases emissions
What are fluorinated gases?
Fluorinated gases are man-made and might be present in widespread home equipment equivalent to fridges, air-con or warmth pumps, aerosols, solvents and foam blowing brokers. They account for round 2.5% of EU’s greenhouse gasoline emissions.
Although F-gases are present in smaller volumes within the environment than CO2, they’ll seize extra solar vitality. The EU should cut back their emissions to realize its 2050 purpose of chopping down emissions to internet zero.
As they don’t harm the atmospheric ozone layer, F-gases are sometimes used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances.
What has the EU finished thus far?
F-gases are lined by the Paris Settlement along with CO2, methane and nitrous oxide in addition to beneath worldwide agreements on ozone-depleting substances.
To regulate emissions from F-gases, the EU has adopted the F-gas Regulation and the Cellular Air Conditioning techniques Directive. Yearly the European Atmosphere Company experiences on the manufacturing, import, export, destruction and feedstock use of F-gases emitted by firms within the EU.
What does Parliament need?
To additional cut back F-gases within the EU, MEPs need to:
- Strengthen new necessities proposed by the Fee that prohibit the inserting on the only market of merchandise containing F-gases
- Section out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – generally utilized in air-con and refrigeration – positioned on the EU market by 2050.
- Have shut monitoring to make sure the HFC phase-down doesn’t endanger the RePowerEU warmth pump deployment targets.
- Enhance enforcement to forestall unlawful commerce and non-compliance
The Fee estimates that its proposals for the F-gas Regulation would save 310 million tonnes of CO2 equal till 2050, which is similar as the full annual greenhouse gasoline emissions of Spain in 2019.
Phasing out ozone-depleting gases
What are ozone-depleting substances?
Present in comparable home equipment as F-gases, ozone-depleting substance are additionally man-made chemical substances. After they attain the higher environment, these substances might harm the ozone layer, which retains the Earth from harmful photo voltaic radiation.
What has the EU finished thus far?
Due to their affect on the atmosphere, ozone-depleting substances are being phased out by the EU consistent with a worldwide settlement from 1989 often called the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and to adjust to the EU local weather targets and the Paris Settlement.
What does Parliament need?
With a purpose to additional lower emissions of ozone-depleting substances, MEPs assist the Fee’s proposal for an replace of the laws, together with a ban on the manufacturing, use or commerce of such substances, apart from strictly outlined circumstances. In addition they name for higher monitoring, improved enforcement and stricter penalties to keep away from unlawful actions.
In line with the Fee, the proposed modifications within the regulation on ozone-depleting substances would result in financial savings of one other 180 million tonnes of CO2 equal by 2050 – the identical as the full annual greenhouse gasoline emissions of the Netherlands in 2019.
Decreasing methane emissions
What’s methane?
Methane happens naturally within the environment however can also be generated by means of human actions, equivalent to agriculture, business and the combustion of fossil fuels. It accounted for 12% of the affect ofthe EU’s greenhouse gasoline emissions in 2021.
What’s the EU doing?
Parliament adopted a decision on an EU proposal for a technique to scale back methane emissions in October 2021, calling on the Fee to set binding methane discount targets and measures for all sectors, by means of the Effort Sharing Regulation. MEPs will vote on Parliament’s place of methane reductions within the vitality sector later this 12 months.
[ad_2]
