US Congress passed a bill to phase down HFC refrigerants

Since the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol ratified in Kigali in 2016, many countries have pledged to gradually reduce their production and consumption of HFCs, in order to slow down global warming.  

Since that date, however, the United States had not made any definitive commitment in this regard, despite the will of many economic and environmental players.  

But the US Congress finally passed a law at the end of December including an agreement to gradually reduce the production and consumption of HFCs.  

 

This bipartisan legislation, the Consolidated Appropriation Act, includes a government spending bill and a $900 billion relief program related to the COVID-19 outbreak. It also includes an agreement, the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, which allows  the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the progressive reduction in the consumption and production of HFCs, in order to reach 15% of their average annual level between 2011 and 2013 by 2036.  

 

Outgoing President Donald Trump signed the law on December 27, which should allow the United States to sign the Kigali Amendment under Joe Biden's tenure. An executive order signed on January 27 confirms this commitment. On this subject, see the IIR news Joe Biden launches the first stage of the US ratification of the Kigali Amendment.

 

Sources:

R744 : https://www.r744.com/articles/9879/u_s_enacts_hfc_phase_down_law_as_part_of_covid_relief_bill  

EIA : https://eia-global.org/press-releases/20201223-congress-hfc-legislation-kigali  

Cooling Post : https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/us-groups-celebrate-hfc-phasedown-bill/