Project: Management and Destruction of Ozone-Depleting Substances in ODS Banks (COPA)

As the COPA project concluded in December 2025, its achievements highlight both the urgency and opportunity of sustainable cooling. Facing a growing demand for refrigeration and air conditioning, emissions from ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) remain a critical challenge. Implemented by GIZ in cooperation with UNIDO and UNDP, the project advanced lifecycle refrigerant management since its launch in 2021 in eight countries around the world, including in China.

On 22 March 2025, the 40th anniversary of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was commemorated. Over the past four decades, the home appliance industry has made significant contributions to global compliance for ozone-depleting substance (ODS) phase-out, especially in pioneering the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants (such as R600a), which are organic compounds. The industry continues to push for the adoption of natural refrigerants like R290 (propane) in air conditioning systems as part of its commitment to sustainable environmental practices.

GIZ is cooperating with the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Centre (FECO) as well as the China Automotive Technology Research Center (CARTAC) to study refrigerant life cycle management. In August 2024, the project paid site visits to two companies in Zhejiang province and Guangdong province that are engaged in refrigerant recovery, as direct exchange with refrigerant manufacturers is crucial for establishing a comprehensive life cycle management system. Following the visits, two reports will be published soon, one with recommendations to Chinese decision-makers on improving refrigerant management practices, and one focusing on the potential for refrigerant recovery in automotive repair.

A representative from the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance (COPA) Global, Ms. Malin Emmerich, visited China from April 7th to 13th, 2024. It was her second visit after the one in 2023 together with project director Ms. Ellen Michel. Her itinerary included a series of key engagements to support COPA in China, starting with the participation in the China Refrigeration Expo (CRH2024), where she attended sessions on green and low-carbon refrigeration technology and best practices in the service sector. At the event she introduced COPA’s activities in China to the audience. Subsequently, a meeting with UNDP China was held in Beijing, furthering the Alliance’s collaborative efforts.