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Tom Land of US EPA in action
GRAPPLING WITH HFCS IN THE AMERICAS As the world awaits a global framework for dealing with HFCs, Canada has developed its own plan while Mexico is seeking funding to support its phasedown objectives. – By Michael Garry and Justina Tamasiunaite
n November 2015, 197 countries committed to work within the Montreal Protocol to find an agreement in 2016 on a global phase-down of HFCs. This marked a major breakthrough after seven years of unsuccessful attempts to bring HFCs under the treaty.
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The most recent Montreal Protocol meeting on this issue took place in Vienna in July, and the final meeting of the year is scheduled for October in Rwanda. “2016 is the key year for making progress towards a global HFC phase-down,” said Klára Skačanová, deputy manager – market development at shecco, during the ATMOsphere America conference in Chicago in June. “The global HFC phase-down will soon become a reality – whether it’s this year or next year, it’s going to happen.” One proposal for an HFC phase-down plan came from the United States, Canada and Mexico, which were all represented at the ATMOsphere event. Each has been trying to reduce the use of HFCs in advance of a global agreement. “Regulatory action at the national level to reduce emissions of HFCs is intensifying across the world,” said Skačanová, adding that this presents “opportunities for natural refrigerants”. continued on p.62
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Accelerate Europe September 2016
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