As global leaders and industry heads gather in New York for the UN Secretary-General’s historic climate summit, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is calling on governments and the private sector to commit to firm action to eliminate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

EIA representatives are currently in New York to deliver the message that time is running out to prevent the planet’s climate system from reaching a catastrophic tipping point.

EIA US executive director Alexander von Bismarck said: “There are solutions to the climate crisis, including a phase-out of the consumption and production of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol. Such a global commitment would mitigate more than 100 billion metric tonnes of CO₂-equivalent by 2050. It is crucial that world leaders use the Summit as an opportunity to announce ambitions such as this.”

Clare Perry, head of EIA UK’s Climate Campaign, said: “The political response to climate change to date has been wholly inadequate. The international community now stands at a crossroads - in one direction lies political apathy, unstoppable climate change and massive disruption to life as we know it and in the other is affirmative action to rein in greenhouse gas emissions and an opportunity to bring the planet back from the brink.

“We urge all leaders to grasp this low-hanging fruit and support a global phase-out of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol in recognition of the substantial mitigation potential available.”

For more information on EIA's HFC work, please visit http://bit.ly/1DxbnTK