Europe’s Most Chilling Crime – The illegal trade in HFC refrigerant gases

Despite a brief dip in carbon dioxide emissions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is still heading for a temperature rise in excess of 3°C this century, far beyond the universally recognised Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C.

HFC climate crime is a threat to EU climate targets. The evidence points to significant illegal trade in HFCs in many parts of Europe since 2018, driven by high profits and low risk of detection or serious consequences.