"Kigali Amendment Turns 10: India's Cooling Policy Choices"
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
synthetic refrigerant gases that do not harm ozone but have strong global warming potential
Phase-down
gradual reduction in production/use of a substance, allowing some continued use, unlike a full phase-out
The Montreal Protocol of 1987 aimed to stop the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other chemicals that damage the ozone layer. The ozone layer is the part of the atmosphere that blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation. Countries have now eliminated nearly 99% of controlled ozone-depleting substances. The ozone layer is recovering. Industries replaced CFCs with hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These do not harm the ozone layer. However, HFCs are powerful greenhouse gases. Weight for weight, many HFCs trap hundreds to thousands of times more heat than carbon dioxide over a century.
HFCs are used in many ways, not just in refrigeration. They are used as foam blowing agents to make insulation foams. They are also used in fire retardants and as propellants in aerosol cans. They are not generally used as lubricants. Their chemical properties suit heat transfer and gas-expansion uses, not mechanical lubrication. HFCs solved the ozone problem but created a new climate problem. The Federated States of Micronesia and Mauritius proposed bringing HFCs under the Montreal Protocol in 2009. This led to the Kigali Amendment. It was adopted in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 15, 2016. It came into force in January 2019.
The amendment sets binding schedules to cut HFC production and consumption. Developing countries are given more time to comply. It is called a 'phase-down', not a phase-out, because limited HFC use is still allowed after the cuts. This structure let industries transition gradually. They did not face an abrupt ban.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are used in the production of plastic foams. They are used in cleaning electronic components. They are used as pressurizing agents in aerosol cans. They are not used in the production of tubeless tyres. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants is a multi-stakeholder initiative. It is not exclusively a G20 initiative. It focuses on methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons.
Full implementation of the Kigali Amendment could avoid about 0.3°C to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100. This is according to UN-backed scientific assessment. This matters because the Paris Agreement aims to keep warming well below 2°C. It also pursues a 1.5°C limit. Even fractions of a degree change outcomes for extreme heat and sea-level rise.
India ratified the Kigali Amendment in 2021. Under its schedule, India must freeze HFC production and consumption at an agreed baseline in 2028. The first reduction is a 10% cut below that baseline, due in 2032. Reductions reach 85% by 2047. These limits are calculated by the gases' warming impact, not just their volume. High-impact HFCs count more heavily against the cap. …
Which one of the following is associated with the issue of control and phasing out of the use of ozone-depleting substances?
Consider the following statements:
Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances, are used
1.in the production of plastic foams
2.in the production of tubeless tyres
3.in cleaning certain electronic components
4.as pressurizing agents in aerosol cans
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following:
1.Aerosols
2.Foam agents
3.Fire retardants
4.Lubricants
In the making of how many of the above are hydrofluorocarbons used?
Consider the following statements:
1.Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants is a unique initiative of G20 group of countries.
2.The CCAC focuses on methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are used in the making of which of the following?
1.Aerosol propellants
2.Foam blowing agents
3.Fire retardants
4.Lubricants
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
With reference to the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, consider the following statements:
1.It seeks to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
2.It was adopted in Montreal, Canada.
3.It entered into force in 2019.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
As per India's commitments under the Kigali Amendment, which of the following sequences correctly represents India's HFC reduction schedule?
The Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment are best described as addressing which of the following environmental concerns respectively?
Consider the following pairs:
Institution/Mechanism — Established/Function
1.Multilateral Fund — Finances developing countries' compliance costs under the Montreal Protocol
2.Climate and Clean Air Coalition — Targets short-lived climate pollutants including HFCs and black carbon
3.Friends of the Kigali Amendment — A European Union initiative limited to EU member states
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
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