Montreal Protocol meet ends today in Paris

The meeting has been going on in Paris, France, since July 11.

HFCs are greenhouse gases. Like carbon dioxide, they cause global warming – only that a tonne of HFC causes thousand times more global warming than a tonne of carbon dioxide.

There is a concern that increased consumption and emissions of HFCs from refrigerators and air-conditioners, where they are used as refrigerant gases, will lead to more global warming. Presently, 80 per cent of all HFC emissions happen from developed countries; developing countries have just started phasing in HFCs in their refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sectors.

HFCs are substitute for chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) that cause the ozone hole.

Montreal Protocol was signed to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) like CFCs and HCFCs. Developed countries have already phased out CFCs and HCFCs and have moved to HFCs.

Developing countries have phased out CFCs and are in the process of phasing out HCFCs; they have started to use HFCs. So, the phasing out of ODS in Montreal Protocol is leading to a phasing in of HFCs -- which is causing more global warming.

Developed countries, supported by many developing countries, want to discuss and phase down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, whereas some developing countries like India, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia want to discuss HFCS under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is discussing global warming.

To do this, in Paris, the US along with Micronesia has put out proposal to amend the Montreal Protocol. India has opposed this amendment in Paris.

In this tug-of-war, the industries of both the developed and developing countries have made billions by selling patented technologies.

The fluorinated gas industry first sold CFCs, then HCFCs, then HFCs and now they have found another alternative HFOs. HFOs are fourth generation of chemicals being sold by multinational companies like DuPont and Honeywell as non-ODS and non-global warming chemical.

There is an interest of these companies to sell HFOs as a substitute to HFCs. But there was always a green technology that these companies didn’t allow to come in the market – hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons like Butane and Propane are ozone and climate friendly. Most importantly, they are also highly energy efficient. Presently, the most energy efficient refrigerators and air conditioners sold in Indian market is hydrocarbon based.

Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of CSE and head of its climate change team said: “It is clear that it is the interest of India to leapfrog from HCFCs to natural refrigerants like hydrocarbons and not go to HFCs. Hydrocarbons are not patented technologies, they are energy efficient and climate friendly. Most importantly, they allow Indian industry to develop their own energy-efficient technologies and grow.”