Mauritius
Proposes to accelerate Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
phase-out
Mauritius has submitted a proposal to adjust the Montreal
Protocol to accelerate the phaseout of ozone damaging
chemicals.
Under the Montreal Protocol's First Stage, chlorofluorocarbons,
CFCs, were phased out in developed countries by 1996
And replaced by less harmful HCFCs.
The HCFCs are one class of chemicals being used to replace
the CFCs. They contain chlorine and thus deplete stratospheric
ozone, but to a much lesser extent than CFCs.
Unfortunately, HCFCs are also very potent greenhouse
gases, despite their very low atmospheric concentrations.
HCFCs and its by-product HFC do also have high global
warming potential the the range of 1000 to 10 000 compared
to carbon dioxide respectively.
The Fourth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that "Most
of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures
since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the
observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations".
Experts have reported that HCFCs contribute significantly
to climate change, in view of its excessive use. In Mauritius,
for example, import of HCFCs has witnessed a drastic
increase from 4 tons in 1989 to 200 tons in 2006
Technical reports under the Protocol indicate that the
use of HCFCs at the ongoing rate will be substantially
responsible for a postponement in the complete recovery
of the ozone layer. It is now expected that the ozone
layer will be healed in the year 2068 as opposed to the
earlier prediction of 2050.
In view of our vulnerability to both ozone depletion
and climate change, as health, tourism and agriculture,
among others, may suffer from the effects of global warming,
sea level rise and an increase level of harmful ultraviolet
radiation from the sun, there is an urgent need to introduce
reduction targets of HCFCs in order to accelerate their
phase out.
At present, developed countries have until 2030 to phase
out completely HCFCs with intermediary reduction targets
at various points in time. However, for developing countries
the phase out target is 2040 with only a freeze in consumption
and production in 2016
The Montreal Protocol is now entering its second stage,
which aims to phase out HCFCs by 2030 for developed countries
and 2040 for developing countries. The proposal includes
four elements that can be considered individually or
as a package:
Accelerating the phaseout date of hydrochlorofluorocarbons,
HCFCs, by 10 years
Adding interim reduction steps
Setting an earlier baseline from 2010 to 2012
These proposals would accelerate existing efforts to
address both the ozone layer protection and climate change
effects by calling on the global community to act more
quickly in phasing out HCFCs.
New markets in refrigeration and air conditioning are
opening in response to proposed controls on HCFC refrigerants,
and producers are vying with producers of the so-called
natural refrigerants, ammonia and hydrocarbons.
For more information about the phase out proposal contact
the Ministry
