Brief: HFC emissions account for 1% of total GHG emissions in Europe

A new technical report, entitled "Analysis of greenhouse gas emission trends and projections in Europe in 2003" and published by the European Environmental Agency (EEA), states that "despite a sharp increase of F-gas emissions between 1992 and 1998, HFCs still account for only 1% of total GHG emissions". Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions increased by 11% between 1995 and 2001, and according to the EEA, the global increase of HFC emissions is the consequence of continuing replacement by HFCs of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), such as CFCs. However, in 1990, CFC emissions represented 25% of total GHG emissions while HFC emissions account for only 1% today. The report concludes that, despite the continuing replacement of ODS, total EU HFC emissions will remain small.