National strategy for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons by 2023 

The Union cabinet approves ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete Ozone Layer for the phase-down of Hydrofluorocarbons. 

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has given its approval for ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone layer for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by India, adopted by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on October, 2016 at 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol held at Kigali, Rwanda. 

Benefits 

• HFC phase down is expected to prevent the greenhouse gas emissions, helping prevent climate change and would benefit the people. 
• The industry producing and consuming Hydrofluorocarbons will be phasing out Hydrofluorocarbons as per the agreed schedule under and transitioning to non-HFC and low global warming potential technologies. 

Implementation strategy and targets 

• National strategy for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons as per the applicable phase down schedule for India will be developed after required consultation with all the industry stakeholders by 2023. 
• Amendments to the existing legislation framework, the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules to allow appropriate control of the production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons to ensure compliance with the Kigali Amendment, will be done by mid2024.

Major Impact, including employment generation potential 

• Hydrofluorocarbons. phasedown is expected to prevent the emission of up to 105 million tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases, helping to avoid up to 0.5 degree Celsius of global temperature rise by 2100, while continuing to protect the ozone layer. 
• Implementation of HFC phase down under the Kigali Amendment through the adoption of low-global warming potential and energy-efficient technologies will achieve energy efficiency gains and carbon dioxide emissions reduction – a “climate co benefit”. 
• HFCs phrase down implementation will involve synergies with on-going government programmes and schemes of the Government of India with the objective to maximise the economic arid social co-benefits, besides environmental gains. 
• There would be scope for domestic manufacturing of equipment as well as alternative non-HFC and low global warming potential chemicals to enable the industry to transition to the low global warming potential alternatives as per the agreed HFC phase down schedule. In addition, there would be opportunities to promote domestic innovation for new generation alternative refrigerants and related technologies. 

Details 

• Under the Kigali Amendment; Parties to the Montreal Protocol will phase down production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons, commonly known as HFCs. 
• Hydrofluorocarbons were introduced as a non-ozone depleting alternative to Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). While HFCs do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, they have high global warming potential ranging from 12 to 14,000, which have adverse impacts on climate. 
• Recognising the growth in use of HFCs, especially in Refrigeration and Airconditioning sector the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, reached agreement at their 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) held in October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to add HFCs to the list of controlled substances and approved a timeline for their gradual reduction by 80-85 per cent by the late 2040s. • India will complete its phase down of HFCs in 4 steps from 2032 onwards with cumulative reduction of 10 percent in 2032, 20 percent in 2037, 30 percent in 2042 and 85 percent in 2047.
• All amendments and adjustments of the Montreal Protocol, prior to the Kigali Amendment, have Universal support.