ShareInternational discussions on HFCs
North America and Micronesia submitted amendments aiming to phase down HFCs under the framework of the Montreal Protocol during the joint 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and the 26th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, at UNESCO in Paris, from 17 to 21 November 2014 (1).
These were rejected, as usual, due to opposition from some Arabic, South Asia and South American countries. However, some progress was made over the past months: the US established cooperation agreements with China and India on HFC phase down.
The European Union proposed a draft amendment to the Montreal Protocol which would give more time to developing countries for HFC phase down (2). This is currently open for discussions.
In addition, the Multilateral Fund, which assists developing countries in phasing out HCFCs, will be replenished.
Subsequently, a new seminar on HFCs will be organized in Bangkok from 20 to 21 April 2015. This event will be followed by an Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol from 22 to 24 April 2015 with a view preparing new amendments, different and hopefully more acceptable than the previous ones.
These proposed amendments are planned for approval by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol before the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris from 30 November to 11 December 2015.
These amendment need approval by the Parties to the Rio Convention on Climate Change since, like other greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4…), HFCs are currently governed by the Rio Convention.
(1) Draft report of the meeting http://goo.gl/esxqJZ
(2) Discussion paper submitted by the European Union: http://goo.gl/IXcdXd
These were rejected, as usual, due to opposition from some Arabic, South Asia and South American countries. However, some progress was made over the past months: the US established cooperation agreements with China and India on HFC phase down.
The European Union proposed a draft amendment to the Montreal Protocol which would give more time to developing countries for HFC phase down (2). This is currently open for discussions.
In addition, the Multilateral Fund, which assists developing countries in phasing out HCFCs, will be replenished.
Subsequently, a new seminar on HFCs will be organized in Bangkok from 20 to 21 April 2015. This event will be followed by an Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol from 22 to 24 April 2015 with a view preparing new amendments, different and hopefully more acceptable than the previous ones.
These proposed amendments are planned for approval by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol before the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris from 30 November to 11 December 2015.
These amendment need approval by the Parties to the Rio Convention on Climate Change since, like other greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4…), HFCs are currently governed by the Rio Convention.
(1) Draft report of the meeting http://goo.gl/esxqJZ
(2) Discussion paper submitted by the European Union: http://goo.gl/IXcdXd