Sustainable Management of Banked Fluorocarbons as a Cost-Effective Climate Action

Fluorocarbon banks present a substantial yet largely untapped opportunity for climate change mitigation within current regulatory frameworks. This potential can be effectively addressed through fluorocarbon lifecycle management (FLM), a strategy grounded in circular economy principles. This study quantifies the mitigation potential of FLM in China from 2025 to 2060, employing a tailored emission modeling framework and country-specific cost analysis. If unmitigated, these banked fluorocarbons could add 0.014 °C to global warming by midcentury. FLM, however, could prevent up to 8.0 Gt CO₂-eq of cumulative emissions by 2060, with 93.2% attainable at costs below 10 USD/t CO₂-eq─an additional mitigation exceeding 50% of the 13 Gt CO₂-eq reductions pledged under the Kigali Amendment in China. Meanwhile, reclamation efforts could redirect up to 4108 kt of fluorocarbons for reuse or repurposing, conserving resources otherwise needed for virgin production. Our findings underscore FLM as a cost-effective approach to bridging the emission gap while advancing global sustainability.