[Explainer] The journey of phasing out Ozone-Depleting Substances

As 2024 got here to an in depth, India phased out the usage of hydrochlorofluorocarbon, an ozone-depleting substance, in manufacturing new gear.

Phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) – a chemical that breaks down the ozone layer, growing dangerous UV radiation – is according to India’s deadline set within the 2014 modification to the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, which mandated that each one gear and merchandise counting on HCFCs be discontinued by January 1, 2025. That is additionally a part of India’s dedication to the Montreal Protocol.

What’s the Montreal Protocol?

The Montreal Protocol, launched in 1987, is a global treaty that goals to remove the manufacturing and use of ozone-depleting substances. It got here into drive in 1989, has been termed one of many “most successful” multilateral environmental agreements. Events to the protocol have phased out 98% of the ozone-depleting substances globally in comparison with 1990 ranges. With the continued implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the ozone layer is projected to get well by the center of this century which, in flip, is estimated to guard two million folks from pores and skin most cancers yearly by 2030.

The origins of the treaty will be traced again to 1974 when scientists raised an alarm bell after publishing their first scientific hypotheses that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) hurt the stratospheric ozone layer, the second-lowest layer of the ambiance of the Earth, which protects towards extreme ultraviolet radiation. They claimed that the extensively used CFCs go to the stratosphere and stay there for many years to centuries, releasing chlorine and breaking down the ozone layer.

This resulted within the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer that laid out a framework to advertise cooperation amongst nations to guard the ozone layer, by sharing info on the results of human actions on the ozone layer. Nonetheless, consensus on taking concrete motion got here with Montreal Protocol in 1987. Initially, it targetted controlling the usage of CFCs however later added different substances resembling hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

Chandra Bhushan, CEO of iForest, a New Delhi-based non-profit, highlights that the Montreal Protocol is the one legally binding worldwide settlement of the twenty first century. “Underneath this, each nation has compliance targets evaluated yearly. Additionally it is the one protocol the place a multilateral fund has been lively for round 30 years, with developed nations financing initiatives in creating nations,” he says.

What’s hydrochlorofluorocarbon or HCFC?

HCFCs are chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. They’ve extensively been used within the foam, refrigeration, and air-con industries. They have been initially launched as temporary substitutes for CFCs as a result of their shorter atmospheric lifetimes (they break down sooner than CFC) and launch much less reactive chlorine into the ozone layer.

In 1991, research revealed that even with the phase-out of ozone-depleting chemical compounds resembling CFCs and halons, ozone depletion continued unabated. It grew to become evident to deal with ozone depletion, different ozone-depleting substances resembling HCFCs and methyl bromide needed to be managed.

HCFCs weren’t naturally current within the ambiance in the course of the early twentieth century. Nonetheless, their utilization expanded after they have been promoted as a substitute for speed up the phase-out of CFCs and different ozone-depleting substances. Over time, HCFCs emissions additionally grew to become a priority as their presence elevated, explains International Monitoring Laboratory (GML), a analysis centre of USA’s Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

With the rising concern round HCFCs, the 1992 Copenhagen Modification to the Montreal Protocol accelerated HCFC phase-out for developed nations. One other modification in 1997, pushed for HCFC phase-out for creating nations. Ultimately, within the 2007 assembly of the Montreal Protocol events, the timeline for HCFC part out was set as 2020 for developed nations and 2030 for creating nations.

What’s hydrofluorocarbon or HFC?

One other ingredient used as a substitute for CFCs and HCFCs is hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), generally utilized in refrigeration, air-conditioning (AC), constructing insulation, fireplace extinguishing programs and aerosols. HFCs are usually not ozone-depleting substances like CFCs and HCFCs. They’re greenhouse gases and have world warming potential, making them a priority for local weather change. Uncontrolled development in HFC emissions challenges efforts to maintain world temperature rise at or beneath 2°C this century, says the United Nations Setting Programme (UNEP).

In 2016, Montreal Protocol adopted the Kigali settlement the place events agreed to manage the usage of HFCs as effectively. The Kigali Settlement set a goal to part down HFCs by 85% by 2036 for developed nations and by 2047 for creating nations.

The pathway to phase-down HFCs is to undertake energy-efficient applied sciences with a low world warming potential and cut back dependency on options that contribute extremely to world warming.

Vaibhav Chaturvedi, a Senior Fellow on the Council on Vitality, Setting and Water (CEEW), a New Delhi-based assume tank, explains that the success story of the Montreal Protocol had a big affect when discussions round HFCs started. Usually, the United Nations Framework Conference on Local weather Change (UNFCCC) governs all greenhouse gases. Thus, there was an fascinating debate about why the Montreal Protocol ought to oversee HFCs as an alternative. Consequently, events determined that the management of HFCs ought to fall beneath the Protocol whereas reporting and monitoring would stay with the UNFCCC. Chaturvedi speculates the reason is the Protocol’s confirmed success.

What has India achieved to date?

India grew to become a celebration to the Vienna Conference for the Safety of the Ozone Layer in 1991 and signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, in 1992.

In 1993, India ready an in depth nation programme to part out ozone-depleting substances. To facilitate this, the atmosphere ministry established an ozone cell to make sure the well timed implementation of ozone-depleting substance phase-out actions, notes The Montreal Protocol, India’s Success Story, a report by the MoEFCC, launched in September 2014, that particulars the nation’s journey.

The report says that India primarily produced and used 9 of the 96 ozone-depleting substances managed beneath the Montreal Protocol. It additionally claims that India phased out the manufacturing and consumption of CFCs, CTC, and halons as of January 1, 2010, except for pharmaceutical-grade CFCs utilized in Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs) for bronchial asthma and persistent obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD) sufferers. The nation has additionally phased out methyl chloroform and methyl bromide manufacturing and consumption.

One other report launched in 2023 mentions that India’s efforts to part out HCFCs are significantly vital, as it’s the second-largest producer and client of those substances. This makes India’s actions important to defending the ozone layer and mitigating local weather change.

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The latest phase-out of HCFCs in manufacturing new gear in India is a part of the second stage of the HCFCs Section-out Administration Plan (HPMP) that led to 2024. India is at the moment implementing Stage III aiming for a sustainable and full HCFC phase-out by 2030.

After CFCs and HCFCs, the nation has a phase-out plan for limiting the usage of HFCs. “India has undertaken to finish its part down in 4 steps from 2032 onwards with cumulative discount of 10% in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 85% in 2047,” as per a statement launched within the Parliament in 2017.

The place does the worldwide negotiation stand?

On the 2024 Convention of Events (COP) to the Vienna Conference and Assembly of Events to the Montreal Protocol in Bangkok nations have been negotiating future options for cooling expertise and power consumption.

The assembly targeting refrigerants and the difficulty of leakage, given the numerous carbon footprint related to frequent leaks, shared Chandra Bhushan from iForest. “There’s a push for nations to determine requirements to handle refrigerant leakage successfully. One other main focus is on creating new applied sciences to exchange vapour compression programs,” he provides. Extra sustainable cooling options have come up, like photo voltaic cooling, evaporative cooling and radiant cooling, and so forth. These are extra energy-efficient however not but extensively obtainable available in the market. The dialogue now revolves round learn how to convey such improvements to scale.

Bhushan factors out that the vapour compression expertise extensively utilized in air-con programs is very energy-intensive. “Air conditioners are among the many most energy-consuming gear in any constructing. Now, with the Montreal Protocol increasing its focus from ozone layer safety to tackling world warming, the dialogue is shifting in direction of addressing power consumption as effectively,” he explains.

Bhushan additionally highlights a broader debate inside the Montreal Protocol framework concerning the sequential shift from one chemical to a different—CFCs to HCFCs, then to HFCs. Now, hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) are being mentioned as potential options. “HFOs are usually not ozone-depleting and don’t contribute to world warming, however they’re water pollution. Ultimately, there will likely be discussions about phasing out HFOs as effectively. The last word want is to transition to sustainable options like pure refrigerants, which don’t require repeated replacements,” he concludes.

Chaturvedi from CEEW additionally underlines the ad-hoc answer in Montreal Protocol’s journey however acknowledges the problem of anticipating future issues which will happen as a result of chemical compounds. Moreover, he notes that the Montreal Protocol was practically finalised by the point local weather change emerged as a big world debate.

Chaturvedi additionally identified that transitioning from HFCs to HFOs shifts the main focus from a world to a neighborhood downside. This implies nations transfer away from United Nations frameworks, and the difficulty turns into considered one of home regulation. He warns of potential air pollution challenges, significantly in poorer nations with weaker regulatory programs. Nonetheless, he sees a optimistic aspect that the native governments achieve the authority to control and deal with these points with out exterior interference.

 

Banner picture: HCFCs are chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. They’ve extensively been used within the foam, refrigeration, and air-con industries. Image by Jose Antonio Gallego Vázquez through Pexels.