New Delhi: India will phase out
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), chemicals causing global
warming but widely used in refrigeration and air-conditioning
systems, by 2030.
"We are going to freeze the use of HCFCs at 2009 levels
by 2013. We are going to mitigate their use by 10 per cent by
2015 as compared to 2009 levels and bring it to zero by 2030,"
Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said after unveiling
the country`s roadmap to phase out the ozone layer-depleting
chemicals at a function here today.
The measures will be taken under the Montreal Protocol,
an international treaty to protect the ozone layer.
Seeking adequate funds and technology from the global
community to meet the challenges to phase out HCFCs, Ramesh
said, "this roadmap is a giant leap in the dark. It is a huge
act of faith because we don`t know what technology is going to
replace HCFCs...We don`t know from where funding is going to
come to meet the challenges," he said.
The consumption of HCFCs, which are used in aerosols,
foams, refrigeration and air-conditioning and solvent sectors,
has grown at an average annual rate of over 11.3 per cent in
the past 15 years in the country.
As the consumption of HCFCs in the country is likely to
reach 27,103 metric tonnes in 2015 from 11,027 metric tonnes
in 2005, Ramesh said there is a need for resolving IPR issues
and making available funds and technology at the earliest to
the developing countries for phasing them out.
Bureau Report
