The HFCs: A Critical Link in Protecting Climate and the Ozone Layer report, produced by the UN Environment Programme (Unep), projected that the global warming potential of HFCs in 2050 could be comparable with current emissions from the global transport sector.

HFCs (Hydrofluorocarbons) are a popular choice by refrigeration manufacturers because they are are deemed to be a "like-for-like" replacement substance for Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorochlorocarbons (HCFCs), which are banned or being phased out under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

The substances have also been widely used as aerosol propellants and solvents.

Achim Steiner,

Unep executive director.

Achim Steiner

"While these 'replacement for replacement' chemicals cause near zero damage to the ozone layer, they are powerful greenhouse gases in their own right," observed Achim Steiner, Unep executive director.

source: bbc.co.uk