Environment Ministry seeking alternative for super greenhouse gases

On the eve of World Ozone Day, the Environment Ministry on Thursday announced an ambitious research initiative for sustainable refrigerant technology as an alternative for the Hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs) or "super greenhouse gases".

The HFCs are gases used for refrigeration and air conditioning having high global warming potential and like their predecessors the chloro-fluorocarbons (CFCs) are responsible for ozone layer depletion.

"There is an urgent need for developing new technologies indigenously as alternatives available today are patented apart from being expensive," the ministry said.

As per reports the HFCs production is rising by 15 per cent annually.

Ministry said that focus is to priorities areas of research in new refrigerant technologies and natural refrigerants as long term solutions to mitigate impact of currently used refrigerant gases on the ozone layer and climate.

The research initiative of the Ministry will be led by the CSIR's Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. It also includes Centre for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences and Department of Science and Technology (DST).

"Ministry along with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and DST has decided to create a corpus fund for this research programme, with Industry also committing to contribute to the effort," the ministry said.

Ministry added that members of this initiative have already had multiple rounds of consultation to reach a consensus on the contours and decide on the roadmap for this initiative,.

"India has a small carbon footprint at citizen level and its sustainable lifestyle results in low contribution of the country to overall emissions of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances, as compared with other developed countries," the ministry added.

--IANS

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