EU proposal could unlock HFC talks
A new EU proposal to phase-down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol could have the potential to unlock negotiations, according to a leading green group.
The new proposal strengthens the phase-down schedule for non-Article 5 (developed) countries while requiring Article 5 (developing) countries to freeze the production of HFCs in 2019, with reduction steps to reach a long-term reduction target by 2040 to be agreed by 2020.
Significantly, for Article 5 countries, the EU proposal splits the allowances for production and consumption, taking into account allowances for HCFC production which the Article 5 countries have only just begun to phase-out.
On production, it calls for the baseline to be the average of HFC production in the years 2009 to 2012 plus 70% of average HCFC production in the years 2009 to 2012, expressed in CO2 equivalents. A freeze of HFC production in 2019 would be followed by a reduction to 15% by 2040, with the timetable of reduction steps to be agreed by 2020…