26 September 2011: The European Commission has published a report and launched a public consultation on strengthening EU measures to reduce emissions of fluorinated gases, a group of industrial gases with high global warming potential.

The report concludes that the EU’s existing regulation on fluorinated gases (‘F-gases’) is having a significant impact but that, without further measures, F-gas emissions are expected to remain at current levels in the long term. The review also identifies wide scope for further cost-effective emission reductions, mainly due to the growing feasibility of replacing F-gases in several sectors with alternatives that make less or no contribution to climate change so that potentially the EU could eliminate up to two thirds of today’s fluorinated gas emissions by 2030.

The consultation runs until 19 December 2011 and is addressed to all interested stakeholders. The potential policy options being consulted on include: new voluntary agreements; bans for new products and equipment; and the introduction of a scheme for phasing-down the placing of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) on the EU market. [EU Announcement] [EU Press Release] [The Online Consultation] [Publication: Report from the Commission on the Application, Effects and Adequacy of the Regulation on Certain Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases]