India’s Stand on Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol is the international treaty on protection of Ozone layer from the Ozone Depleting Substances and to phase-out its production and consumption by 1 January 2010.
This treaty came in to force in 1987 which was ratified by 197 countries; India became its signatory member on 19th June 1992.
This Protocol has been recognized as the most successful international environmental treaty in history. With International cooperation this treaty has successfully led the phase-out operation of production & consumption of major Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) viz. CFCs, HCFCs, Carbon tetrachloride (CTC) and Halons globally in span of 27 years.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) took place of above ODS, which worked as an alternative to CFCs & HCFCs and is now commonly used as refrigerants and coolants in refrigerators and air-conditioners.
Gradually, it was noticed that these HFCs though are not Ozone depleting but possess great greenhouse gas effect and contribute to global warming about 12,000 times more than CO2, CH4. It can also be said that HFCs solved one problem and created another.
How world wants to solve this new problem?
The signatory members of Montreal Protocol have prepared a general agreement to phase-out HFCs on the ground of CFCs & HCFCs phase-out operation conducted decades before. But, India suggested to work on this agreement under Kyoto Protocol, as it was specifically made for reducing greenhouse gasses whereas, Montreal protocol for ODS. But others wanted to opt for Montreal Protocol seeking the urgency of the problem, as it was also a highly successful to figure out this kind of problem before.
Why India did not want to put HFCs under Kyoto Protocol?
If HFCs is added in phase-out program under Montreal Protocol then it will be binding on its signatory members to phase-out HFCs on the other hand if it is added under Kyoto Protocol it puts “differentiated responsibility” on developed and developing countries to cut down greenhouse gas emissions.
Which means, only the 40 rich and industrialised countries in the current climate change regime have to legally phase-out the HFCs. Whereas the others like India and China will not have to mandatorily phase-out HFCs. But if they do so they can claim ‘carbon credits’ and sell them in the carbon market to earn revenues.
But, during the President Obama & PM Modi’s meeting in Washington they together meet at consensus and agreed to cooperate over the issue of phasing out HFCs under Montreal Protocol which was also the main issue in St Petersburg G-20 summit in September 2013.
India has demanded for establishment of a finance mechanism for developing countries so to claim compensation for the costs of converting chemical plants to adopt new technologies and has asked for a 15-year grace period for developing countries to phase out HFCs and shift to newer technologies.
