Since that newsletter came out, there has been considerable evidence of and impetus to change driven by international agreements. China and the US have agreed a broad agenda of emissions reduction including the commitment to phase down the use of HFC refrigerants. This agreement is similar to the initiative by the European Union to phase down HFC use by 79 per cent by 2030.

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition, comprised of 40 countries in association with UNEP, including Australia, has endorsed this policy and established an international working group specifically for the purpose. As a result, original equipment manufacturers worldwide are embracing the need to deliver refrigeration and air conditioning systems that are based on low-GWP refrigerants.

The Montreal Protocol is considered the most likely vehicle for delivering the transition to low-GWP refrigerants. A recent meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol saw movement in this direction to the extent that most commentators consider this development to be inevitable. It makes a great deal of sense because the Montreal Protocol is considered to have caused greater GHG emissions reduction than all other climate change policies combined.