California Governor Signs New Climate Law SB 1206

Sacramento CA— EIA applauds California’s legislature, led by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkely), for finalizing ambitious new legislation (SB 1206) that goes further than any law before toward eliminating super-pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). HFCs are greenhouse gases with potent climate impacts used primarily in the cooling sector for refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps, as well as in foams and aerosols. Signed into law today by California Governor Newsom, SB 1206 sets a goal to transition the state away from HFCs by 2035 to “no or ultra-low global warming potential alternatives” and reclaimed refrigerants. The state also allocated $45 million in new funding for programs that incentivize and accelerate HFC emission reductions in its recently finalized budget.   

“California is now on a clear path toward nearly eliminating HFCs by 2035,” said Christina Starr, EIA Senior Policy Analyst. “This unprecedented new law goes further than any other on the books globally to restrict new HFCs from entering the market. The state is backing this up with significant new financial resources to incentivize and accelerate the transition. It’s a bellwether of how quickly these chemicals are becoming obsolete.”

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