India Agrees to Address HFCs under Montreal Protocol, Submits Amendment Proposal

India has submitted an advance copy of an amendment proposal to the Montreal Protocol proposing a phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) ahead of next week’s Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) special meeting in Bangkok.

“India’s proposal comes as countries are about to participate in a special meeting of the Montreal Protocol to address HFCs,” said Clare Perry, Head of Climate at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). “It is a major opportunity to begin negotiations on the most immediate, cost-effective, and tangible global measure to address climate change.”

“It is refreshing to see India come to the negotiating table for these potent greenhouse gases, as India has historically been opposed to such an amendment,” said Avipsa Mahapatra, EIA International Climate Policy Analyst. “With the European Union also expected to submit a proposal, it is a clear signal that there has been significant political progress on the issue of HFCs, and instead of questioning if HFCs should be addressed under the Protocol, countries are now trying to answer how to address them.”

This meeting marks the first Open Ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol’s 30-year history dedicated to discussing HFCs. At last year’s Meeting of the Parties in Paris, countries agreed for the need to host a supplemental OEWG, in addition to its annual meeting in July, to discuss HFCs.