On the occasion of World Ozone Day 2016

Each year, on September 16, the global community celebrates International Ozone Day by promoting activities and information in accordance with the objectives of the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, is considered to be the most successful international environmental treaty to date.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement marked historic and vital milestones in the global efforts to help the ozone layer recover by reducing ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere. The ultimate goal is to accomplish a secure and sustainable world.

One essential step towards this goal is the global elimination of the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are currently the fastest growing human made greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere. HFCs are replacements for CFCs and HCFCs which are potent ozone depleting substances and are being phased-out under the auspices of the Montreal Protocol. HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer but like CFCs and HCFCs, they are powerful global warming substances.

In accordance with the aims of the Montreal Protocol and the UNFCCC, the Refrigerants, Naturally! member companies aim to phase out harmful fluorinated gases such as CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs in point of sale refrigeration and freezing equipment and replace them with environmentally friendly natural refrigerants.

As of International Ozone Day 2016 – 12 years after the founding of Refrigerants, Naturally! – we have successfully placed more than 5 million refrigeration units on the market world-wide using natural refrigerants. These are more energyefficient and future-proof than comparable HFC units.

Every member company of Refrigerants, Naturally! continues to be committed to use natural refrigerants such as CO2 and hydrocarbons in their point-of-sale cooling appliances. These and other measures have prevented the emission of more than 30 million metric tonnes of CO2, which corresponds to the annual emissions of more than 6.1 million passenger vehicles.

Refrigerants, Naturally! believes in acting on the principle that “solutions for the present must not harm the future” and we look forward to sharing our experiences with the international community. On the occasion of the 2016 Ozone Day, we call on other industry players to respond to the pressing challenges of climate change and ozone depletion, by opting for natural refrigerant solutions in their point of sale refrigeration equipment. Recognising that the global phase out of HFCs could avert more than 100 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions by 2050 and up to 0.5°C warming by the end of the century, Refrigerants, Naturally! urges governments to complete the agreement to bring HFCs into the regulatory regime of the Montreal Protocol at the upcoming the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, which takes place 10-14th October in Kigali, Rwanda.

For more information on Refrigerants, Naturally! and our member companies, please visit www.refrigerantsnaturally.com.