Strasbourg, 05/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 31 March the Parliament adopted the report of Robert Goodwill (UK, Conservatives). It was voting on a first reading of draft regulation aiming to reduce the emission of certain fluorinated greenhouse gases used in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sectors (hydrofluorocarbons, HCFCs, perfluorocarbons, PFCs and sulphur hexafluoride). The Parliament opted for the phasing out of the use of these gases with a view to a total ban on using HCFCs in the long term. However, although the Parliament agreed to ban HCFCs in domestic fridges, it turned down the Commission proposal aiming to attribute usage quotas of fluoride gases to manufacturers of new air-conditioned cars. Alternatively, MEPs called for the introduction of stricter limits in car air-conditioning systems as of January 2011 and the development of alternative solutions of HCFCs, PFCs and sulphur hexafluorides. Whilst the Commission proposed to ban - from that date - all gases with a global warming potential of above 100 (CO2, to compare, has a warming potential of 1), MEPs want this limit to be reduced to 50. For manufacturers of small series, this provision will apply as of 1 January 2013.
An amendment voted in the plenary session requested that Article 175 on environmental protection be added to the legal basis of the proposal (Article 95, internal market). However, MEPs did not support the attempt by the Greens to tackle the growing emissions associated with stationary air conditioning, refrigeration and foams. "After decades of selling CFCs and other enemies of the ozone layer, the chemical industry has again managed to impose substances that are harmful to the climate and the earth. The Parliament has simply rejected any possibility of eliminating these gases that are damaging to the atmosphere in the majority of applications, where cleaner alternatives actually do exist! This is the case for domestic and commercial refrigeration or air-conditioning" deplored the Greens/EFA.
Greenpeace regrets that in rejecting the Greens' request, the Parliament has failed to support efforts to eliminate potent greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto protocol. In a press release, Greenpeace states: "MEPs weakened the Commission proposal to phase out these gases on mobile air conditioning. Most importantly, they obstructed moves that would have permitted individual Member States to go beyond the Regulation to protect the environment and the global climate".