Deal on HFC phase-down to boost climate goals:Environment NGOs

An agreement to phase-down Hydrofluorocarbons would greatly increase chances to meet the world's climate goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, environment NGOs said today as the talks to amend the Montreal Protocol to reduce the greenhouse gases entered a critical stage.

Nearly 40 ministers will arrive in the Rwandan capital tomorrow to attend the high-level discussions. Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave and US Secretary of State John Kerry are expected to attend the ministerial session tomorrow.

Hydrofluorocarbons are the fastest growing greenhouse gases in many countries.

Environment NGOs said an agreement to halt their growth and rapid transition to energy efficient and climate-friendly alternatives can avoid warming of up to 0.5 degrees by the end of the century.
 

This would greatly increase our chances to meet the world's climate goal to limit temperature increase to 1.5 degrees.

"We urge leaders use this occasion to come together to strike an ambitious deal to cut down on these heat-trapping 'super pollutants' and reaffirm the commitment they made in Paris to use every opportunity they have to tackle climate change. A success in Kigali can really raise the bar for greater ambition on global climate action in the years ahead," said Wael Hmaidan, International Director, Climate Action Network in a statement.

"In the Paris Agreement, national leaders promised to try their hardest to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. However, those promises will ring hollow if we don't get an early date for the global phase down of HFCs. These chemicals are thousands of times more potent than C02 as a greenhouse gas and are increasing in use by 10-15 per cent a year."

Benson Ireri, Christian Aid's Senior Policy Officer for Africa, said it is fitting that ministers will be arriving here at the summit in the coming days because it is their government's credibility that will be on the line if we don't get a good outcome.

Vulnerable countries do not have time to wait, the climate is changing fast and phasing down HFCs is something which we absolutely must do if we are going to honour the pledges of the Paris Agreement.

"It would be an embarrassing start if the (Paris) Agreement came into force next month and countries had failed their first test by delivering a feeble deal on HFCs," Ineri said.