An Article On Latest Controversy Over Refrigerant Gases

The U.S. and other Industrialised nations have been compelling India and other developing nations to agree to the phase out of Hydroflouro Carbons(HFC’s). nd move to some safer and climate friendly gases like Hydroflouro Olefins (HFO’s)(being produced by the U.S. company DuPont) which the U.S. claims are safer and do not warm the globe.

Let us see how much truth is there in this claim of U.S. and what it means for India if it acquiesces to the U.S. pressure.

Overview of phase out of other Refrigerant gases:-

In the mid 80’s, the British Antarctic Survey team discovered a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica.

Given that the Caucasian population was more vulnerable to the effects of UV radiation (due to less melanin in the skin), ozone layer depletion assumed priority for Northern counties.

In 1987, a multilateral agreement, Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, was drawn.

The cause of the hole in the ozone layer was a chemical called CFC. Used mainly in aerosol proponents, refrigeration, AC’s etc. The main culprit was the “chlorine” which led to the breakdown of ozone.

Countries decided to abandon CFC and instead shift to a partially tweaked CFC, called HCFC.

This also damages the ozone layer, though less than CFC, and was supposed to be an interim solution before a safer alternative is developed.

The Industrialized countries have to phase out HCFC by 2020 and the developing countries have to follow the suit by 2030.

Read alse:- Black Sea Grain Deal

Now what is the problem?

The problem is the industrialized nations are already using non chlorinated Hydroflouro Carbon (HFC) as an alternative to HCFC. Though these HFC’s are Non Ozone Depleting but they have thousand times more Global Warning Potential (GWP) than CO2. HFC’s are classified under Short Lived Climate Forces (SLCF) which warm the climate but have relatively shorter lifetime in the atmosphere (CO2 which is a long term gas remains in the atmosphere for over a century). Other SLCF’s include Methane, Black Carbon (soot) etc.

What Next?

Now it is known that the industrialized world’s transition to HFC was a failure because of its high GWP. On the other hand,

The U.S. wants to showcase itself as the champion of climate change by forcing India, China and other developing countries not to adopt HFC.

After phasing out HCFC’s, and on the other, it wants them to adopt gasses being produced by its MNC’s which are Patented, Costly and are not tested for their effect on Global warming.

What is the controversy between Montreal Protocol and UNFCCC?

Rich countries want HFC’s to be phased out by bringing them under the Montreal protocol.

They argue that Montreal Protocol should address HFC’s because their use has increased due to the CFC’s and HCFC’s phase out pushed by the protocol.

Developing countries argue that HFC is not an Ozone Depleting substance, rather.

It is among six green house gases under Kyoto Protocol (CO2, Methane, N2O, HFC’s, PFC’s and SF6).

The rich countries want HFC to be removed from the UNFCCC because under this the phase out can be done only through Clean Development Mechanisms, and to earn more carbon credit.

A country will move to least GWP refrigerant gases such as hydrocarbons (which are non patented and cheap) and MNC’s of rich countries especially of the U.S. will lose the huge opportunity.

And moreover, UNFCCC works on the principle of common but differentiated responsibility which means the