India calls for political consensus on phasing down HFCs

Paris: India on Friday called for a “political consensus” on phasing down climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons and asked the UN to convene a special session of the Montreal Protocol to address concerns of developing nations amid efforts by US-led developed nations to push for a global treaty on HFCs.
Showing flexibility in its approach to the issue of phasing down of HFCs at the UN conference on Montreal Protocol here, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that nations should agree for an Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) for phasing down of the greenhouse gas.

Amid general perception among developing nations attending the conference that developed nations led by the US were forcing them to reach an agreement on HFCs, Javadekar said,

Urging convention of a three-day special conference of the Montreal Protocol, Javadekar said the mandate of the session should be to arrive at a solution for technology development, technology transfer and finance.

“A special dedication session can go a long way in furthering the way which we are dealing with the Montreal Protocol and take it to further level,” the minister said.

India’s approach on the issue was lauded by the NGOs attending the conference. “I think the idea of the Indian minister to have a special meeting to discuss was a very good one and I think the
countries should support it to move the agenda forward,” climate expert Chandra Bhushan told reporters here.

Javadekar’s demand for a separate session comes in the wake of developed nations’ refusal to make a commitment for alternative technologies and finance to developing nations where HFCs are widely used in air-conditioners and refrigerators.

India made its position clear as the nations started informally debating the issue of management of HFCs – the climate-damaging refrigerant gas — at the week-long conference that began at UNESCO headquarters here on Monday.

India, till last year, had been opposing the discussion of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, arguing that it does not have the mandate to deal with the greenhouse gas.