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Climate change is a major issue—for people, economies, and the environment worldwide. We believe that all companies have a role to play in addressing it, by managing their operations to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change. These so-called greenhouse gas emissions are not our greatest environmental impact. We are, however, a fairly energy-intensive business, and the process of generating electrical energy produces greenhouse gases.
Based on an assessment performed by McDonald's Europe, we have concluded that, on a global level, our restaurants' use of electrical energy accounts for the bulk of our greenhouse gas emissions. These are, in the main, CO2 emissions. The remaining emissions—about 2%—are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are used as coolants in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems and other restaurant equipment.
Our climate change strategy, therefore, focuses on effectively managing electrical energy use at the restaurant level. We are also collaborating in a leadership initiative to develop commercially viable equipment that uses alternatives to HFCs. Initiatives at the local level include measures to reduce uses of conventional motor vehicle fuels—another, major source of greenhouse gases. Many of these initiatives are in our European markets and described in the McDonald's Europe 2004 Environmental Report.
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