UNDP-CCAC side event at the 38th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol

Time: 7/18/2016 13:00-14:45

The use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is rapidly increasing in important industry sectors such as air-conditioning, refrigeration, solvents, foam blowing and aerosols. In these sectors, HFCs are replacing ozone-depleting substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol. While HFCs do not have an impact on the ozone layer, they are very potent greenhouse gases. By some estimates HFC emissions could constitute up to 19% of global CO2 emissions by 2050 in business-as-usual scenarios.

Action on climate change can’t be comprehensive without decisive action to rein in HFC emissions. The first step in this direction is to establish current HFC consumption levels and make informed projections of its growth and the resulting impact on emissions estimates.

With funding from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) , UNDP has supported Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia and Nigeria to undertake initial surveys (or inventories) of HFCs to establish current consumption and growth projections of HFCs by substance and sector.

The results of the surveys were used to make develop a methodology of translating these consumption patterns and data into estimates of HFC emissions along with making preliminary estimates of emissions profiles.

The side event will present and discuss the methodology and preliminary results of translating HFC consumption into emission factors and estimating HFC emissions. It will also present the results of the recently released CCAC Assessment of SLCPs for Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular the chapter on HFCs.

The CCAC is a voluntary international framework for concrete and substantial action and it aims to reduce emissions of methane, black carbon, and many hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in order to protect the environment and public health, promote food and energy security and address near-term climate change.