Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol

Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol

Subject – Environment

Context – Cabinet approves Ratification of Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons.

Concept –

• The Kigali agreement is an amendment to the Montreal Protocol. It aims to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by curbing both their production and consumption.
• Target: To achieve over 80% reduction in HFC consumption by 2047 which will curb a global increase of temperature by up to 0.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
• India: India will complete its phase-down of HFCs in four steps from 2032 onwards with a cumulative reduction of 10% in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 80% in 2047.

Hydrofluorocarbons

• HFCs are entirely man-made. They are primarily produced for use in refrigeration, air-conditioning, insulating foams and aerosol propellants, with minor uses as solvents and for fire protection.
• HFCs were developed to replace stratospheric ozone-depleting substances (ODS) that are currently being phased out under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
• Though HFCs do not impact the ozone layer, many HFCs are very powerful greenhouse gases and a substantial number are short-lived climate pollutants with a lifetime of between 15 and 29 years in the atmosphere.

Implementation strategy of India to phase out HFCs

1. National strategy for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons will be developed after required consultation with all the industry stakeholders by 2023.
2. Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules will be amended to allow appropriate control of the production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons to ensure compliance with the Kigali Amendment will be done by mid-2024.

Montreal Protocol

• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, is an international environmental treaty for protection of the Ozone Layer by phasing out the production and consumption of man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS). The stratospheric ozone\ layer protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
• India became a Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 19 June 1992 and since then has ratified the amendments to the Montreal Protocol.
• Through the present approval of the Cabinet, India will be ratifying the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol for phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons.
• India has successfully met the phase out targets of all the Ozone Depleting Substances as per the Montreal Protocol Schedule.