The supply and use of fluorinated gases (F-gases) increased slightly in the EU and the UK in 2020, according to the annual report on the EU’s progress in phasing out these very potent greenhouse gases, published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Thursday 2 December.
However, according to the EEA, the EU remains on track to meet its target of reducing F-gas emissions by two-thirds by 2030 (compared to 2010).
Indeed, in 2020, the EU-wide launch on the market of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) was 4% below the overall market limit set by the annual quota system (2% in 2019). And although demand for refrigerants remains high, there is a shift towards alternatives with lower global warming potential, the EEA points out.
In 2020, total EU F-gas supply increased slightly, after a continuous decline from 2015 to 2019. Refrigeration and air conditioning are still the main applications.
Despite a 7% increase compared to 2019, EU HFC consumption in 2020 was 52% below the maximum imposed by the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which signalled a global phase-out of HFCs. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)