The motion for introducing the “Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation Bill 2008 - 09”, which seeks to phase-out HFCs in the refrigeration systems of large supermarkets, will for the second time be debated in the UK House of Commons today. This comes a week after the submission of an Early Day Motion (EDM) on the same issue. Individuals are asked to write to their local MPs to sign EDM 1753 and demonstrate their support on the matter.
Today a motion for leave to introduce a Bill calling for the phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in large food retail stores will be read for the second time in the UK House of Commons. It was presented for the first time on Tuesday 30 June 2009 by Labour MP Clive Efford.
The “Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation Bill 2008 - 09” (Bill 127) seeks to make provisions for limiting the use of HFCs in certain premises. More specifically, it will end the use of HFCs in the refrigeration units of large supermarkets, as opposed to small retailers (i.e. corner convenience stores) that would only be required to introduce equipment that do not contribute to global warming when their old units need to be replaced.
Rationale for the Bill
“I seek to introduce it [the Bill] because urgent action is needed to end the devastating impact of HFCs on global warming, and because supermarkets are responsible for more than half of all HFC emissions”, argued Clive Efford at the House of Commons debate. “In 2005, stationary refrigeration was the biggest source of F gas emissions in the UK, accounting for almost 27 per cent within the sector. HFC emissions from supermarkets account for more than half the total emissions, and direct emissions from leaking refrigerant gases can account for up to one third of a supermarket chain's carbon footprint. In 2005, the amount of HFC emissions leaking from supermarket refrigeration was estimated to be equivalent to 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. To put that into perspective, I should say that that equates to one person flying in a plane from London to New York more than 2.5 million times […] or to driving round the circumference of the earth 300,000 times - if that were possible”.
“The phasing out of HFC use in the supermarket sector by 2015 has the potential to save 175 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent between now and 2050, which is more than one quarter of the UK's current annual greenhouse gas emissions”. Although the Bill does not seek to introduce a complete phase-out of HFCs, it recognises that this would be an attractive option for climate protection, as it could save almost 500 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent between now and 2050 - more than three quarters of the UK's current total annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Moreover, an HFC phase-out plan would create a level playing field for their industry, allowing large supermarkets to plan in the knowledge that their competitors would be required to do the same.
Early Day Motion tabled on Hydrofluorocarbons and Supermarket Refrigeration
The week before the Bill was presented to the Parliament, Efford also tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) expressing concern over the large-scale domestic emissions of potent greenhouse gases HFCs, welcoming the recent publication of the Environmental Investigation Agency's Chilling Facts report on the impact of supermarket refrigeration on climate change and recognising the availability of low global warming impact alternatives.
The EDM then “urges the Government to support a phase-out of domestic consumption of HFCs, as has happened in Austria and Denmark” and “calls on the Government to support interim steps to achieve deep emission reductions such as HFC taxation, which is working successfully in Norway and Denmark and being assessed in Sweden”.
Next steps and taking action
The “Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation Bill 2008 - 09” will be read a second time on Friday 3 July and will then be printed (Bill 127). Following this, the Bill must pass several stages in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords to become an Act. There may be several rounds of exchanges between the two Houses until agreement is reached on the final text of the Bill.
Early Day Motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few EDMs are actually debated, but they are instead used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs and demonstrating the extent of Parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.
An MP can add their signature to an EDM to show their support, or even submit amendments to it. So far 45 MPs have signed the EDM. To enhance its impact, Individuals can write to their local MPs urging them to co-sign EDM 1753 titled “Hydorfluorocarbons and supermarket refrigeration”
[see comment at the end of the article on how to take action in 3 simple steps].
