Air conditioning curbs could save years' worth of emissions – study

UN and IEA call for stricter standards to improve energy efficiency and cut use of HFCs

Up to eight years' worth of global greenhouse gas emissions could be prevented over the next four decades by setting tougher standards for air conditioning, according to a study.

It found that improving the energy efficiency of cooling systems by using climate-friendly refrigerants could remove emissions equivalent to between 210bn and 460bn tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2060.