Concerted action to combat climate change remains elusive, the illegal wildlife trade is booming and exploitation of natural resources such as forests far exceeds capacity to regenerate. One underlying cause for this disconnect is the failure to adequately implement and enforce laws designed to protect the environment
In advance of the 19th Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), our Climate Campaigner, Natasha Hurley, reflects on the challenges that lie ahead and the global action required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
HFCs are used as refrigerant gases. They are very good at cooling our food, they are even better at warming the Earth. Some retailers accept their environmental responsibilities and invest in HFC-free systems, but others have yet to be convinced. For this reason energy efficiency is a focal point of this year’s report
An entire book deserves to be written on how the world’s big chemical companies have cynically sought to undermine the science of climate change with the sole aim of raking in more profit but on World Ozone Day it’s important to focus on the positives and consider why the global ozone regime remains as relevant as ever
It feels as if the world is finally waking up to the fact that not only do we need to get rid of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) but that the solutions are there for the taking – we can chill out without heating up the planet.
Amid preparations for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change talks, the Montreal Protocol quietly announced a decision to fund China’s phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), a move which will keep eight billion tonnes of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, not far off China’s annual CO2 emissions