By Gina McCarthy
This week,*EPA*took another*important*step*in a series of recent actions*to help*reduce*our country’s*use and*emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)*– a potent greenhouse gas.*I signed a*proposed rule*under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program*that will*expand the list of climate-friendly*HFC*alternatives and phase out*certain*HFCs in favor of safer options that are*already*available.*
HFCs are predominantly used in air-conditioning and refrigeration*and*can be up to 10,000 times more damaging*to our climate*than carbon*pollution.*Left unchecked, growing HFC*emissions would*undo*critical progress*we’ve made*to act on climate and protect the planet.*
That’s why cutting*their*use and emissions is a key part of*President Obama’s Climate Action Plan.*The new proposed rule not only supports the President’s goals, it also recognizes the key role of innovative companies in bringing new*HFC*alternatives to the marketplace.*
This is*an*example of the*important work*we’re doing at home.*But*we’re*also making*tremendous progress with our international partners*to*fully*address HFCs.
Just*yesterday, in a joint announcement,*President Obama and*China’s*President Xi Jinping committed to working bilaterally and with other countries to achieve successful outcomes this year in related multilateral fora, including on an HFC amendment under the Montreal Protocol.
And*I’m pleased to announce that I’m planning to lead the United States delegation at the*Montreal Protocol’s Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties*(ExMOP) this July in Vienna.*I had the*honor of*leading the United States delegation to the*Montreal Protocol’s*27th*Meeting of the Parties in Dubai last November.*At that time,*the world took a significant step by agreeing to work together on a 2016 Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to reduce the production and consumption of harmful HFCs*and achieve substantial greenhouse gas reductions.*
Next week*is*the*first preparatory session for the 2016 negotiations*in Geneva. This will be*the first opportunity since*Dubai*for countries to come together*and make concrete progress on*our*2016 phase down*amendment.*
As we saw*with*the historic*Paris*Agreement,*the world*can unite in action when the health of our kids and shared home is at stake. The U.S. is ready to*build on this*spirit*and follow through on our commitments*to*reduce*HFCs at home and abroad.
We are making tremendous progress with our international partners.*This July in Vienna, I look forward to making more progress on adopting an HFC amendment that will protect our climate for future generations.
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This week,*EPA*took another*important*step*in a series of recent actions*to help*reduce*our country’s*use and*emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)*– a potent greenhouse gas.*I signed a*proposed rule*under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program*that will*expand the list of climate-friendly*HFC*alternatives and phase out*certain*HFCs in favor of safer options that are*already*available.*
HFCs are predominantly used in air-conditioning and refrigeration*and*can be up to 10,000 times more damaging*to our climate*than carbon*pollution.*Left unchecked, growing HFC*emissions would*undo*critical progress*we’ve made*to act on climate and protect the planet.*
That’s why cutting*their*use and emissions is a key part of*President Obama’s Climate Action Plan.*The new proposed rule not only supports the President’s goals, it also recognizes the key role of innovative companies in bringing new*HFC*alternatives to the marketplace.*
This is*an*example of the*important work*we’re doing at home.*But*we’re*also making*tremendous progress with our international partners*to*fully*address HFCs.
Just*yesterday, in a joint announcement,*President Obama and*China’s*President Xi Jinping committed to working bilaterally and with other countries to achieve successful outcomes this year in related multilateral fora, including on an HFC amendment under the Montreal Protocol.
And*I’m pleased to announce that I’m planning to lead the United States delegation at the*Montreal Protocol’s Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties*(ExMOP) this July in Vienna.*I had the*honor of*leading the United States delegation to the*Montreal Protocol’s*27th*Meeting of the Parties in Dubai last November.*At that time,*the world took a significant step by agreeing to work together on a 2016 Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to reduce the production and consumption of harmful HFCs*and achieve substantial greenhouse gas reductions.*
Next week*is*the*first preparatory session for the 2016 negotiations*in Geneva. This will be*the first opportunity since*Dubai*for countries to come together*and make concrete progress on*our*2016 phase down*amendment.*
As we saw*with*the historic*Paris*Agreement,*the world*can unite in action when the health of our kids and shared home is at stake. The U.S. is ready to*build on this*spirit*and follow through on our commitments*to*reduce*HFCs at home and abroad.
We are making tremendous progress with our international partners.*This July in Vienna, I look forward to making more progress on adopting an HFC amendment that will protect our climate for future generations.
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