Phase down plan announced for HFCs
Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister for the Environment
13 May 2017
Phase down plan announced for
HFCs
The Government is phasing down the use of the powerful greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in the air-conditioning and refrigeration industries, to help address climate change, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced this morning at the Bluegreens breakfast of the National Party’s northern conference.
“This plan to phase down the use of HFCs is an important part of the Government’s policies for addressing climate change. These synthetic gases are up to 15,000 times more potent in their global warming effect than carbon dioxide and are projected to by themselves raise temperatures by 0.5degC by the end of the century.
“This
plan proposes to progressively reduce HFC consumption by
more than 80 per cent over the next 20 years. Between 2019
and 2036, New Zealand will reduce the levels of HFC imports
from around 1340 ktCo2eq to less than 260, meaning that New
Zealand will meet its international commitments ahead of
schedule. It will enable us to ratify the Kigali amendment
to the Montreal Protocol early next year and it will also
contribute towards New Zealand’s Paris commitment of
reducing our overall greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent
by 2030.
”
The original Montreal Protocol from 1987
initially focussed on reducing chlorofluorocarbons, and then
hydrochlorofluorocarbons, for the harm they do to the
earth’s ozone layer and has been one of the most
successful international environmental agreements. The
Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol was agreed last
October at a meeting in which New Zealand strongly advocated
extending scope of the Montreal Protocol to address the
global warming impacts of HFCs.
“The phase down of HFCs will have implications for New Zealand industries like air conditioning and refrigeration that will need to convert to new technologies. Consumers with heat pumps will not need to upgrade them but future replacements will need to use new technologies. We have calibrated the phasedown timetable to give industry and consumers time to adapt while also ensuring New Zealand positively contributes to the global challenge of reducing greenhouse gases.
“We welcome
input on these proposals from industry, environmentalists
and consumers, with submissions closing on 23 June 2017. We
want to progress this work and the new regulations so New
Zealand can lead in ratifying the Kigali amendment later
this year,” Dr Smith concluded.
The consultation
document and information on how to submit your views is available
here.