Maxwell Bernstein | December 30, 2020

Congress included $35 billion to the recently signed coronavirus relief package to spend on green energy and the reduction of potent greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbon (HFC’s), according to The New York Times. HFC’s are used in air conditioners and refrigerators and have 1,000 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide, according to Iowa Public Radio. 

The deal requires that chemical manufacturers phase down the production of coolants and HFC’s, which by 2035, could prevent 949 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. By 2050, this deal could prevent 70 billion tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

Reducing HFC’s is a major step in combating climate change and reducing future carbon dioxide production.