Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are a class of ozone-depleting chemicals used now primarily as refrigerants and foam blowing agents to replace CFCs. Although their ozone-depleting potential is less than that of CFCs, their global warming potential is quite high. Developed countries are already reducing their consumption of HCFCs to meet their phaseout obligations under the Montreal Protocol and its adjustments and amendments, which call for a 90% reduction from baseline by 2015.
For Article 5 countries, the cap on HCFC consumption does not take effect until 2013. Global consumption of HCFCs is projected to increase by over 20% in the decade ending in 2015 because of the rapidly increasing consumption of HCFCs in these countries.
The potential for ozone and climate benefits from accelerating the phaseout of HCFCs opens up many possibilities and challenges for our client countries and for the World Bank. In order to explore these, the Bank held a seminar in October 2007 for its Montreal Protocol task team members and other interested staff, following the 19th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol at which the future of HCFC production and consumption was extensively discussed. The presentations and a report commissioned by the Bank from ICF International on HCFC use in chillers are attached below.
|
