U.S tackles climate-warming HFC industrial gases with new rules
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday announced two new measures aimed at reducing climate-warming chemicals used in refrigerators and air conditioners that can help the U.S. meet its goals to halve its greenhouse gas emissions this decade. The agency issued a final rule that restricts the use of gases known as hydroflourocarbons, or HFCs, used in 40 types of imported or domestically-manufactured foams, aerosol products, and refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment, setting compliance dates from 2025 to 2028. HFCs are significantly more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming. The EPA also issued a proposal that aims to improve how HFCs are managed and reused, setting requirements for repairing leaky equipment, rules for using reclaimed HFCs and leak detection rules for large refrigeration equipment. The two regulatory actions come after the EPA issued a final rule in July phasing down the use of HFCs by 40% below historic levels from 2024 to 2028. The Senate voted 69-27 in September last year to ratify the global Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol that calls for the phase-down of HFCs. Congress also passed the 2020 American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, which called on the EPA to deliver plans to reduce the production and consumption of climate-damaging chemicals by 85% by 2036. White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said by ratifying the Kiangali amendment, a rare environmental treaty that has bipartisan support, and executing steps to meet its targets, the U.S. is positioned “to lead on innovating and manufacturing alternatives to super-polluting HFCs.” Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Alexander Smith Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read Next Macquarie weighs sale of stake in UK offshore wind farm Race Bank, sources say Macquarie is considering selling its 25% stake in Race Bank, a 573 megawatt offshore wind farm located off Britain’s Norfolk coast, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. UNICEF says weather-related disasters have displaced millions of children UNICEF on Friday said floods, storms, and other weather-related disasters have driven millions of children from their homes, with the situation set to deteriorate if action is not taken.
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More than 30 years after the last major update of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Supreme Court has upended the ability of Congress to give the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies broad scope to combat air pollution, including the emission of greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, further Biden administration efforts to limit emissions face opposition in the courts.