Growing calls for China to take early action to reduce HFCs

As nearly 200 nationsbegan their historical meeting here to ink a deal to phase-down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), China is facing pressure from developing countries to take more responsibility to reduce the climate-damaging gas under the Montreal Protocol.
According to studies, China is currently the world's largest producer of HFCs -- a harmul greenhouse gas -- and consumes more than 20 times more than India.
Presently, China consumes about 360 million tones CO2 equivalent of HFCs compared to 17 million tonnes in India, say studies.
A key negotiator, who didn't want to be quoted, said that considering the scale of production and consumption in China, it is important that China takes early actions.

"Early action by China is very important as it will reduce HFC consumption worldwide significantly as it is a major exporter of HFCs," he said.
It is also projected to account for major growth in HFCs in the future.

Common but differentiated responsibility, which is a fundamental principal underpinning the Montreal protocol negotiations, demands that China takes more responsibility than other developing countries.
China and the US are the largest consumers of HFCs in the world, say Indian NGOs assembled here today for attending the meeting of the Open Ended Working Group (OEWG), an important meeting being held ahead of the 28th Meeting of the Parties to Montreal Protocol scheduled for October 10-14.

Climate expert Chandra Bhushan said, currently, China produces more than 90 per cent and consumes more than 60 per cent of all HFCs in the developing countries.
"It is also projected to account for major growth in HFCs in the future. Common but differentiated responsibility, which is a fundamental principal unpinning the Montreal protocol negotiations, demands that China takes more responsibility than other developing countries," said Bhushan, who is also the deputy director general of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
According toa study by Technology and Economic Assessment Panel - constituted under the Montreal Protocol), and Velders, China accounts for about 60 per cent of HFC consumption from Article 5 countries including India and other developing nations.

Velders has been responsible for a large number of global and regional HFC inventory and projections.
Citing these findings, Indian NGOs arguethat China should be asked to take more ambitious action when compared to other Article 5 countries.
Under the Montreal Protocol, there are Article 5 countries and Non-Article 5 counties; Article 5 countries are developing countries and Non-Article 5 countries are development countries.
The objective of the meeting in the capital of Rawanda is to adopt an amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down the HFCs.
The meeting is expected to result in a legally-binding mechanism to ban the HFCs, commonly used in refrigerators and air-conditioners.

HFCs were developed to replace ozone-depleting gases like chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFC).
HFCs used in refrigerators, air conditioners and spray paints have a much higher global-warming potential than that of carbon dioxide.