Context
More and more people in developing countries and emerging economies are able to afford air conditioners, refrigerators, and invest in insulation for buildings to increase their quality of life. Especially due to urbanization, there is a growing demand for these technologies that contain refrigerants and blowing agents. Thanks to the successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the use of ozone-depleting substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) is decreasing, but the resort to a substitute, the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), backfired as HFCs are highly climate-damaging. Up to date refrigeration and air conditioning sectors are responsible for just over 7% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, equivalent to 3.9 GT CO2 per annum (2014) going up to 8.5 GT CO2 (2030) when they are estimated to contribute nearly 14% to global emissions. Since developing countries are currently almost exclusively using HFCs as alternative, they have become the fastest growing greenhouse gases (GHGs).
Objective
The overall objective of this project is to mobilize mitigation measures through the use of climate and environmental-friendly technology, using natural refrigerants, in the rapidly growing RAC&F sector.
The project is enabling decision-makers in developing countries to estimate their fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions and the potential reductions to be achieved by using alternative technologies such as natural refrigerants. The project provides assistance in the elaboration of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). These are actions under the umbrella of a national governmental initiative to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to a business-as-usual (BAU) emission scenario.
Approach
In the refrigeration, air conditioning and foam blowing sectors, the emission reductions can be achieved by replacing the refrigerant or blowing agent (direct emission reduction) in combination with improving the energy efficiency of the refrigeration air conditioning (RAC) appliance system (indirect emissions). NAMAs in these sectors represent cost-effective measures and carry a substantial contribution to climate protection. The sector is manageable, clearly distinguishable and already has proven technological alternatives. Policymakers in partner and donor countries are provided with an insight and action plan proposals regarding attainable GHG mitigation potentials as well as alternative associated costs and barriers.
The project provides practical guidelines, tools and hands-on trainings to develop
• Inventory of HFC emissions in the refrigeration and foam sector
• NAMAs in the refrigeration, air conditioning and foam sector.
Impacts
Through the joint cooperation of stakeholders from governmental institutions, technical experts and the private sector the following impacts were achieved so far:
• In Thailand, a GHG inventory was created and a NAMA implementation plan was developed, addressing production and use of refrigeration and air conditioning appliances in the domestic and commercial sectors. A NAMA support project has also been approved for funding by the NAMA Facility.
• Colombia was assisted in preparing and submitting a proposal for a NAMA support project focusing on the domestic refrigeration sector. Further activities for other RAC sectors are planned.
• In Mexico, an inventory for fluorinated gases has been prepared, including all relevant subsectors. Subsequently, an action plan for the RAC sectors was developed. The sub-sectors domestic refrigeration, supermarket refrigeration and commercial cooling have been integrated in the national program for climate change (Programa Especial de Cambio Climático) for the years 2014-2018.
• The developed methodology also contributed largely to the preparation of a global inventory of emissions in the RAC&F sectors, which is available on the Website of the Green Cooling Initiative (www.green-cooling-initiative.org