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Fluorinated gases—the greenhouse gases you’ve never heard of

While carbon dioxide from energy production is the largest contributor to climate change, another type of extremely potent greenhouse gases, known as fluorinated gases (or F-gases), are also large contributors that need to be immediately phased-out. F-gases already represent 4% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, and this figure is expected to rise up to 8.6% by 2050 if nothing is done.

The most extensively used F-gases are hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Both gases have global warming potentials (GWPs)—or abilities to trap heat in the atmosphere—that are up to thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide, and are used extensively in refrigeration and air-conditioning.

Fortunately, environmentally safe, cost effective, and technologically reliable alternatives to F-gases exist.

Greenpeace is committed to accelerating the phase-out of HCFCs and HFCs while promoting the commercialization of natural refrigerants used in cooling equipments.

Greenpeace challenges companies—whether they are refrigeration users or appliance manufacturers—to join the effort in phasing-out the use of HFCs and HCFCs in their businesses in favour of natural refrigeration technology.