The Hindu Business Line : Roadmap for phase-out of HCFCs unveiled

NEW DELHI: India today unveiled a detailed roadmap for phase out of ozone depleting and green house gas hydrochloro fluorocarbons (HCFCs) and sought adequate funds and technology from the global community for it.

“We have taken early initiatives for responding to the challenges of phase out of HCFCs, an ozone depleting substance causing global warming. We are going to mitigate the use of HCFCs by 10 per cent by 2015 and to zero by 2030,” the Union Minister, Mr Ja iram Ramesh said after release of the HCFC phase-out action plan at a function here.

“But we are still clueless what technology we will use and from where will we get funds to meet the challenges,” he said. HCFCs are used in the air conditioner and refrigeration industry.

The Minister called for resolving IPR issues and making available fund and technology aid at the earliest to the developing countries such as India and China who have unveiled the roadmap for phasing out HCFCs in various sectors, a move which, he said, i ndicates the country's seriousness to save the environment.

“We have pro-actively phased out ozone depleting substances (ODS) like CFCs as on 1 August 2008, 17 months prior to the agreed schedule due to our commitments backed by Montreal protocol which has the explicit financial arrangements for transfer technolo gies,” he pointed out.

His observation assumes significance ahead of the Copenhagen conference on climate change in December where developing nations are looking for a Montreal Protocol-like agreement which ensures transfer of technology with voluntary contributions from indus tralised countries. - PTI

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