article thumbnail

California introduces first-in-nation rules to reduce climate “super pollutants” from commercial refrigeration, air conditioning equipment

Green Car Congress

The California Air Resources Board recently approved first-in-the-nation rules to curb the impact of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. HFCs are synthetic gases that are used in a variety of applications, but mainly to replace ozone-depleting substances in aerosols, foams, refrigeration and air-conditioning.

Pollution 281
article thumbnail

Latest GHG Inventory shows California remains below 2020 emissions target; much steeper rate of GHG reductions required

Green Car Congress

California’s latest greenhouse gas data shows that while the state continues to stay below its 2020 target for emissions, there is much more work to do to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. Source: California Air Resources Board (ARB). Per capita GHG emissions in California have dropped from a 2001 peak of 14.0

2020 221
article thumbnail

Argonne researcher using hydrous ethanol as a dual fuel to lighten the carbon footprint of locomotives

Green Car Congress

The first is the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), which aims to advance combustion engine technology and simultaneously reduce criteria emissions, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and ozone. —Doug Longman, section manager of engine combustion research within Argonne’s Energy Systems division.

Carbon 259
article thumbnail

Study: surface ozone in India in 2005 damaged 6M tonnes of crops, enough to feed 94M people in poverty

Green Car Congress

Ozone, the main component of smog, is a plant-damaging pollutant formed by emissions from vehicles, cooking stoves and other sources. New research shows that ozone pollution damaged millions of tons of wheat, rice, soybean and cotton crops in India in 2005. Surface ozone pollution in India damaged 6 million metric tons (6.7

Ozone 239
article thumbnail

California 2017 GHG inventory shows 1.2% total drop from 2016; transportation sector emissions up 1%

Green Car Congress

The California Air Resources Board’s latest state inventory of greenhouse gas emissions shows that California’s GHG emissions continue to decrease. These reductions have occurred while California’s economy has continued to grow. Compared to 2016, California’s GDP grew 3.6% Trends in California GHG Emissions.

2017 230
article thumbnail

California ARB moves forward with climate and air quality actions

Green Car Congress

On the first day of a two-day board meeting—the second day of which (Friday 24 March) will consider the Advanced Clean Cars Midterm Review—the California Air Resources Board (ARB) took a number of climate and air quality actions. emissions by more than 20%. emissions by more than 20%.

Climate 199
article thumbnail

EPA proposes approval of new ozone plans for the two of the worst Air Quality Zones in US: California’s San Joaquin Valley and South Coast

Green Car Congress

US EPA Region 9 8-hour ozone trends, 1979-2000. These State Implementation Plans (SIPs) are the roadmaps to meeting the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 0.08 In 1997, EPA first established the 8-hour ozone standard, which replaced the older 1-hour ozone standard (0.12 Source: EPA.

Ozone 236