Data Source: California Air Resource Board. Analysis by Beacon Economics
Challenges
- Emissions from the use of substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (substitutes for ODS),26 which emit high global warming potential (GWP) gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs), are the fastest-growing source of GHG emissions in California—especially within the commercial sector. In 2021, GHG emissions from substitutes for ODS from all economic sectors accounted for 5.4 percent of total included statewide emissions, down from 2020’s share (5.6%), but up from the 2019 share of 5.0 percent. Total GHG emissions from substitutes for ODS in 2021 were considerably larger than in 2011 (3.2%) and 2000 (1.2%). Worldwide, emissions of high GWP gases from substitutes for ODS are rising, as they are used for purposes such as refrigeration and air conditioning.27 28 29 30
- In total, emissions from substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) across all sectors experienced a 2.4 percent year-over-year increase in 2020, largely attributed to the effects of the pandemic. However, in 2021, there was a slight decrease of 0.1 percent in the total emissions from substitutes for ODS. Despite this decrease, emissions from substitutes for ODS in 2021 remained 2.3 percent higher than those in 2019.
- For the commercial and industrial sectors, emissions from substitutes for ODS are associated with aerosols, fire protection, foams, solvents, and refrigeration and air conditioning activities, of which refrigeration and air conditioning activities are the main drivers of increase in GHG emissions from substitutes for ODS. The main refrigerants used for these sectors that contribute to the majority of the increase in GHG emissions are refrigerants R-125, R-134a, and R-143a,31 which have global warming potentials of 3,500 times, 1,430 times, and 4,470 times, respectively, of the GWP of carbon dioxide.32 In the residential sector, R-32a (with a GWP of 675 times of that of CO2) is commonly used alongside R-125 and R-134a (R-143a is not used in the residential sector). In 2021, GHG emissions from these four refrigerants across all economic sectors and activities totaled 19.6 MMTCO2e, a decrease of 0.1 percent compared to 2020 but an increase of 2.2 percent compared to 2019. These four refrigerants accounted for 94.2 percent of GHG emissions from all substitutes for ODS in 2021, down from 94.3 percent in 2019, but the same as in 2020 (94.2%).
- In 2021, only the transportation sector (-0.3%) and industrial sector (-8.0%) experienced reduced emissions from substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) compared to 2019. Despite experiencing a year-over-year decrease of 0.7 percent in 2021, emissions originating from substitutes for ODS in the commercial sector still exceeded 2019 levels by 1.8 percent. This increase can be primarily attributed to a 2.5 percent rise in 2020 compared to 2019 levels. Similarly, emissions from substitutes for ODS in the residential sector were 15.6 percent higher in 2021 than in 2019. Notably, these emissions in the residential sector have exhibited a consistent upward trend since 2019, with an 8.6 percent increase in 2020 followed by a further 6.5 percent increase in 2021.
26 Emissions occur when they are released into the atmosphere (e.g., from fire extinguishers or aerosol cans) or when they leak out of equipment such as refrigerators and air conditioning units.
27 Significant New Alternatives Policy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/snap/global-emissions-substitutes-ozone-depleting-substances
28 The 1987 Montreal Protocol aimed to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out Ozone-Depleting Substances, but increased utilization of substitutes for ODS have resulted in an unintentional growth of GHG emissions. See: United Nations Environmental Program (2016). Treaties—The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Retrieved from: https://ozone.unep.org/treaties/montreal-protocol/amendments/kigali-amendment-2016-amendment-montreal-protocol-agreed
29 The Kigali Amendment (adopted in 2016 and entered into force in January 2019) to the Montreal Protocol aims to address the emissions problem that substitutes of ODS have presented by phasing down global production of these substances and creating market certainty to allow growth of more environmentally friendly alternatives. President Biden had announced plans to ratify the Kigali agreement in April 2021.
30 While the Kigali agreement could help shape markets for these substances to reduce GHG emissions, at the state level, California has a number of programs aimed at reducing emissions from these substances, as outlined in the 2017 Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy. See: Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy. (March 2017.) California Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board. Retrieved from: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/final_SLCP_strategy.pdf
31 The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 34 assign refrigerant designations. For more information, see: https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/standards-and-guidelines/ashrae-refrigerant-designations
32 GWP values are based on AR4 100-year GWP values. A list of refrigerants and the associated GWPs are available at California ARB’s webpage on High-GWP Refrigerants: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/high-gwp-refrigerants
More About
Carbon Economy
Related Content