Friends of the Earth Praise Phase-Out Agreement of HFC Gases

In reaction to the international agreement to phase out HFCs – the fastest growing greenhouse gases – Head of Policy at Friends of Earth, Mike Childs, commented:

“This is a very welcome step forward, and another important sign that the international community is at last getting serious on climate change.

“Governments should not only meet these new targets, but use ingenuity and innovation to rapidly reduce the costs of HFC alternatives in order to rid the world of these powerful greenhouse gases even sooner.

“However HFCs are only a small part of the climate change problem. Carbon dioxide, particularly from burning fossil fuels, is a much bigger threat.

“The UK government must show it is serious about tackling climate change by refusing to expand Heathrow, halting its obsession with fracking and ramping up investment in energy saving and clean renewable power.

“Ministers mustn’t undermine the agreement to phase-out HFCs by pushing new sources of climate-wrecking carbon pollution.”