India launches second stage of plans to phase-out Ozone-depleting HCFCs

India on Monday launched the second stage of its plans to phase out the Ozone-depleting HCFCs by 2030, as required under the Montreal Protocol. While launching the HCFC Phase-out Management Plans (HPMPs)-II, Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave called for research in developing environment-friendly technologies.

AN Jha, the Ministry's Secretary, outlined the roadmap laid down by the government to meet the 2030 schedule to completely phase out the HCFCs (Hydrochlorofluorocarbons). He said the government has launched a collaborative R&D programme to develop non-HCFC alternative to meet the targets India has set.

"We have also taken proactive steps towards incinerationof HFC-23 (a potent greenhouse gas with high global warmingpotential)," he said. India has a robust mechanism for implementation andmonitoring of the programme with an Empowered SteeringCommittee set up for the purpose, Jha said.

"(The Empowered Steering Committee) is assisted by the Technology and Finance Standing Committee and StandingCommittee on Monitoring that provides inputs for policymaking," he said.

Addressing the stakeholders at the consultation meetingDave said, "I urge you to conduct research in this field." India is the second largest producer and consumer ofHCFCs.

As per the XIX Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in September 2007, the signatories are expected to achieve freeze of HCFCs' production and consumption by 2013 at the base level which has to be average of 2009-10.

The first reduction of 10 per cent had to be achieved by January 1, 2015, and the complete phase-out of HCFCs by 2030. India has completed the first phase of HPMPs between 2012 to 2015 for phasing out HCFCs in the consumption sector, according to the Ministry.

Under HPMPs-II, India has secured USD 44.1 mn from the Multilateral Fund in order to meet the compliance targets under the Montreal Protocol for 2020.

More than 400 enterprises, including over 300 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the foam-manufacturing sector and 6 large air-conditioning manufacturing enterprises will be supported under the HPMP-II for switching to non-HCFC technologies. The HPMPs-II provides for promotion of energy efficiency, cold chain development with non-HCFC alternatives and development of standards for new non-ODP (Ozone Depleting Potential) and low-GWP (Global Warming Potential) alternatives, while transitioning away from HCFCs.

It is expected that there would be a net direct CO2-equivalent emission reductions of about 8.5 million metrictonne annually from 2023, said an official statement. HCFCs are presently used in various sectors, including Refrigeration and Air conditioning (RAC) and foam manufacturing sectors, among others.