The estimated schedule and mitigation potential for hydrofluorocarbons phase-down in China

As the major producer and consumer of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), China is obligated to phase-down HFCs to mitigate global warming if China ratifies the Kigali Amendment (KA) to the Montreal Protocol. Based on historical HFCs consumption in each sector, here we estimated historical HFCs emissions with a bottom-up method, and projected the consumption baseline and schedule for HFCs phase-down in China under the KA and the corresponding potential for emission reduction. Results showed that China's HFCs consumption and emissions in 2017 were 164,000 t (311 Mt CO2-eq) and 108 Mt CO2-eq, respectively. HFCs consumption baseline was projected to be (724 ± 18) Mt CO2-eq in 2024, and China should take measures to phase-down HFCs by 2029, at the latest, to meet the requirements of the KA. HFCs consumption in 2050 under KA would reach the level of 2012–2013. Cumulative reduced consumption was estimated at 10.8 (10.1–11.6) Gt CO2-eq, and cumulative reduced emissions were estimated at 5.38 (4.90–5.64) Gt CO2-eq by 2050.