Global Emissions of Substitutes for Ozone Depleting Substances

The emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs) used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) are rising worldwide. EPA and various industries are working together to measure, manage, and reduce these emissions (e.g., through EPA partnerships).

Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), many nations including the United States, annually submit greenhouse gas emissions inventories that estimate emissions of HFCs, PFCs, and other greenhouse gases.

Furthermore, EPA has analyzed the anticipated economic effects of proposed standards and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These analyses have shown that there is a variety of cost-effective policies available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2015, EPA released a report, Climate Change in the United States: Benefits of Global Action, estimating the physical and monetary benefits to the United States of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. EPA has also released other research that underlies its economic modeling of climate policies.