Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have a strong greenhouse effect, have a global warming potential that can reach thousands or even tens of thousands of times that of carbon dioxide. In the process of achieving carbon peaks, how can China curb HFCs including "super greenhouse gases". Non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions in China are particularly critical.

Li Gao, director of the Department of Climate Change Response of China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said recently that China's current independent contribution targets and carbon intensity binding indicators are mainly for carbon dioxide. The next step is to strengthen the control of HFCs in accordance with relevant requirements, and gradually extend the control of HFCs to all other non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases.

According to the "Kyoto Protocol" formulated in 1997, in addition to carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases also include methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The fifth report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) pointed out that since the industrial revolution, about 35% of greenhouse gas radiative forcing originates from non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions.

At the Sino-French-German leaders' video summit held a few days ago, China decided to accept the "Montreal Protocol" Kigali Amendment to strengthen the control of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases such as hydrofluorocarbons.

Data show that the Chinese government has subsidized the disposal of HFCs since 2014, and it is estimated that from 2014 to 2018, it has reduced HFC emissions of approximately 470 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

"By the end of 2020, China has accumulated a total of 65,300 tons of HFC-23 (trifluoromethane) emission reductions through fiscal funds, because this greenhouse gas has a great potential for increasing warming, which is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 764 million tons," Li Gao said.

Trifluoromethane is the largest HFC in China. As a by-product in the production of refrigerants and blowing agents, trifluoromethane has a greenhouse effect potential value of 12,400 times that of carbon dioxide, and has also been included in the Kigali Amendment.

Wen Zongguo, director of the Circular Economy Industry Research Center of the School of Environment, Tsinghua University, said in an interview with a reporter from China News Agency that in October 2016, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol included 18 hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as controlled The substance list aims to gradually reduce climate warming in the next few decades. The contracting parties are required to destroy HFCs using the technology approved by the contracting parties from January 1, 2020. In order to cater for the gap in the development stage between developed and developing countries, the agreement has formulated three sets of HFC phase-out schedules for countries. Among them, developed countries will begin to reduce HFC consumption before 2019, and China is The first echelon of developing countries in China will be eliminated from 2029.

Wen Zongguo believes that strengthening the management and control of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases such as HFCs means that China will take on more responsibilities, and it will also greatly boost global confidence in the negotiation of the "critical year" of climate change, demonstrating China Responsibility and determination to deal with climate change.

Regarding how to carry out the management and control of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases, Li Gao said that focusing on the control of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions, the system encourages enterprises to reduce non-carbon dioxide emissions, and further systematic work should be carried out, including the improvement of the non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas monitoring report evaluation technical system , Increase the frequency of compilation of greenhouse gas emission inventories, better understand the situation and trends of China's non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen situation analysis and judgment.

At the same time, we will further increase the emission control of HFCs, nitrous oxide and sulfur hexafluoride, continue to promote the destruction of HFC-23, promote the nitric acid and adipic acid industries to carry out the emission reduction of nitrous oxide, and continue to promote Agriculture reduces the use of chemical fertilizers.

Li Gao said that in the next step, the use of sulphur hexafluoride will be phased out in the power grid and related power facilities with energy saving and low temperature increasing potential will be promoted. For the refrigerator refrigeration industry, it is necessary to improve energy efficiency and further promote the replacement of refrigerants. Through the above work, we will comprehensively promote the control of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions.

From: China News

The original title: Ministry of Ecology and Environment: How does China control non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions?