AREA, the European Organisation of Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heat Pumps Contractors, does not accept the European Commission’s position on HFCs in its recent communication “Towards a comprehensive climate change agreement in Copenhagen”, which sets out proposals to achieve the EU’s objective to ensure that global average temperature does not increase more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The EU also defends the creation of an Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development-wide carbon market by 2015; and innovative international funding sources based on the polluter pays principle and the ability to pay.

According to AREA, it fails to take into account the concept of Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) of many HFCs in use. In its Communication, the EU considers that the accelerated phase-out of HCFC refrigerants may lead to a rapid increase in HFC emissions. This assumption is then used as a basis for justifying a position whereby industry is actively encouraged to intensify research and deliver low GWP (global warming potential) alternative HFCs or non-HFC alternative gases.

As stated in AREA’s press release, this position also fails to acknowledge the F Gas Regulation’s impact on HFC emissions, since the concept of the F Gas Regulation (EC 842/2006) is to reduce and minimise emissions of HFC refrigerants, among other fluorinated gases.

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