Focus on management of HFCs at global meet, NGO urges govt

Government of India should focus on the setting up of a contact group to discuss the management of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment urged today as the 25th meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol kicked off in Thailand.
In a statement today, CSE, however pointed out that any contact group which discusses not the management aspects but the issue of amendments to the said protocol proposed by only a few countries would be "premature".
Government should not shy away from discussing HFCs under the Montreal Protocol and should take the lead in setting the terms and conditions for any agreement on HFCs, CSE said.

"Discussing how the world is going to address HFCs is important. (Indian government) should agree to the setting up of a contact group to discuss the 'management of HFCs' under the Montreal Protocol.
"However, setting up a contact group just to discuss the amendments proposed by few countries is premature," the CSE statement said.
The 25th meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is being held from October 21-25 at Bangkok.

A contact group which discusses the management of HFCs will help countries turn in their submissions on how Montreal Protocol should address the matter, the statement added.

"Such a discussion within a formal group would ensure the discussions go beyond just the US' proposed amendments and include the larger issues on management of HFCs, such as the finance and technology aspects of a transition," CSE said.
It further recommended that developed countries phase out HFCs by 2017-2020 and not be engaged in the process till the mid-2030s, as the existing US proposal suggests.
CSE has proposed that developed countries should phase out HFCs between 2017 and 2020 as that would have the additional advantage of opening up the market for alternatives and new environment-friendly technologies for developing countries, the statement added.

There is a concern that increased consumption and emissions of HFCs from refrigerators and air-conditioners will lead to more global warming.
Whether HFCs should be discussed under Montreal Protocol is one of the key questions dividing the international community and the issue is expected to be debated at the Bangkok meeting.