Govt consults over whether F-Gas should be tougher: UPDATE

By Alex Miller / 01/11/2017 / Industry News

Environmental Audit Committee will look at current effectiveness of F-Gas reduction efforts in the UK and consult on post-Brexit laws

The Government’s Environmental Audit Committee inquiry into national efforts to curb F-Gas emissions will look at making the rules tougher for refrigerant handling and recording.

The Committee will also look at whether the UK’s exit from the EU will require new laws to be drawn up and will consider whether there is a better body to police F-Gas than the current Environment Agency/local Trading Standards collaboration.

A key question asked by the inquiry is: Should the UK go beyond EU regulatory minimums and develop stronger F-gas legislation?

Stakeholders are being asked to provide evidence on these topics, to be no more than 3,000 words, by November 6.

Committee chair Mary Creagh said: “The UK’s F-Gas reduction targets are set and monitored by the EU. With Brexit looming, businesses need clarity on how the UK will reduce F-Gas emissions and on who will ensure the government meets its targets.”

The committee is calling for evidence from stakeholders on a number of issues including whether the country should look beyond existing regulatory minimums to curb gas output set out by the EU, as well as looking at how current regulations can best be incorporated into UK law post-Brexit.

The EAC noted that despite a reduction in F-Gas emissions from 1997 to 2001, increasing use of the substances for purposes such as refrigeration and air conditioning has seen their use rising. In a key statement the Committee noted that if the regulations were working ’as intended’, the UK is still on track.

The EAC said in a statement: “The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) monitors progress on reducing F-Gas emissions. Its latest analysis suggests that UK emissions have not fallen at the rate expected, though their modelling suggests that if the EU F-Gas Regulation works as intended the UK is still in line with targets.”

Source: https://www.racplus.com/news/govt-consults-over-whether-f-gas-should-be-tougher-update/10024600.article

Copyright © 2024 Technique Learning Solutions | All Rights Reserved | Website by ElevateOM - click here for a quote. | Sitemap