Global amendment limits HFC gasses to help climate

(Vatican Radio) Environmental groups said nations have reached a deal this morning to limit the use of greenhouse gases far more powerful than carbon dioxide in an effort to further protect the environment.

Listen to Ann Schneible’s report:

Around 150 countries have agreed to limit the use of hydro-fluoro-carbon – or “HFC” greenhouse gases in a bid to protect the Earth's climate.

Delegates worked through the night in the Rwandan capital to reach an agreement that would suit both developed and developing countries.

Under the deal, developed nations commit to reducing their use of the chemicals sooner than poorer countries.

HFCs  are used in refrigeration and air conditioning: scientists believe they are playing a growing role in driving up global temperatures, especially as air-conditioning technology becomes more affordable for people in developing markets and more widely used in developing nations.

Saturday’s agreement comes nearly three decades after the globally ratified 1987 Montreal Protocol, which eliminated various gasses believed to harm the ozone.

Per the new agreement, wealthier countries, including the United States and those in the European Union, will implement restrictions on the use of HFCs within the next few years.

Developing countries will cut their use of HFC in the next decade or more.