Press Releases
President Biden to Submit Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol for Senate Ratification
January 27, 2021
President Biden directed the State Dept. to prepare a transmittal package to the Senate for the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down potent HFCs. “President Biden knows the Senate better than any president before him, and will be using the advice and consent process to build bipartisan support for this and future climate action, which the American people are demanding,” said IGSD President, Durwood Zaelke. read more
Pandemic Relief Bill Mandates HFC Phasedown in Compliance with Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment
January 8, 2021
In a huge win for the environment and American businesses, the Consolidated Appropriations Act that was signed into law on 27 December 2020 phases down potent greenhouse gases HFCs. Reducing HFC refrigerants could avoid up to 0.5°C of future warming. Climate benefits could double with parallel improvements in energy efficiency of cooling equipment. read more
Join the Climate Friendly Cooling Campaign
November 24, 2020
Are you ready to take action to avoid obsolete HFC refrigerants that damage the earth’s climate and are being phased down globally? Join other climate leaders! The Sustainable Leadership Purchasing Council and IGSD are pleased to announce the launch of the Climate Friendly Cooling Campaign. read more
Climate-friendly Cooling Could Cut Years of GHG Emissions, Buy Time and Save US$ Trillions: UNEP & IEA
July 17, 2020
Coordinated international action on energy-efficient, climate-friendly cooling could avoid as much as 460 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – roughly equal to eight years of global emissions at 2018 levels – over the next four decades. read more
New Report Identifies Sources of Environmental Dumping of ACs in African Countries
July 9, 2020
Environmentally Harmful Dumping of Inefficient and Obsolete Air Conditioners in Africa details the extent of the problem across ten countries in Africa, ultimately providing policymakers with a set of solutions to encourage a transition toward highly-efficient, sustainable cooling technologies. read more
U.S. House of Representatives Introduces HFC Legislation
January 8, 2020
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced legislation on January 7th to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs and to transition the U.S. to more climate-friendly substitutes. read more
Major Nations, Vatican Announce “Rome Declaration” to Use Montreal Protocol and Sustainable Refrigeration to Reduce Food Loss and Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions
November 9, 2019
More than 50 nations agreed today to a declaration to promote innovation of energy efficient solutions and technologies in the development of so-called “cold chains”, cooling and refrigeration, to reduce food loss and waste, and curb resulting powerful greenhouse gas methane and HFC emissions. read more
New Federal Legislation Phasing Down HFCs Attracts Bipartisan Support
October 30, 2019
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced legislation today phasing down the production and consumption of HFCs, potent greenhouse gases widely used in refrigerators and ACs. The bill has drawn significant bipartisan support, given the broad consensus among U.S. manufacturers seeking to capitalize on a transition to low-GWP HFCs. read more
IPCC Warns of Tipping Points from Loss of Arctic Snow and Ice
September 25, 2019
The IPPC’s Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, notes the cryosphere is already experiencing a number of globally consequential tipping elements and climate feedback loops that could permanently alter regional and global climate. In the next few decades, these will include mass loss from glaciers, permafrost thaw, and decline in Arctic snow cover and sea ice. read more
Loss of Arctic’s Reflective Sea Ice Will Advance 2°C Guardrail 25 Years
July 12, 2019
Losing the remaining Arctic sea ice and its reflective power to send incoming solar radiation safely back to space is equivalent to adding one trillion tons of CO2 to the atmosphere, on top of the 2.4 trillion emitted since the Industrial Age. This roughly equates to adding 25 years of additional global CO2 emissions. read more
