Pune has a role to play in combating ozone depletion

[ozoneorbit]

PUNE: In the days to come, the city will have a significant role to
play in the development of the Gen-next technology to bring down the
level of hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) and hydrochloroflurocarbons (HCFCs),
with a view to repairing the damage done to the Ozone level, noted
environmentalists Gus Welder and Stephen Anderson said on Monday.

According to WikiAnswers.com, hydrofluorocarbon 152A is a combination
of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon atoms. Hydrofluorocarbon was
introduced as a safer alternative to the ozone layer. It is used
mostly as a propellant in aerosol sprays. Even though it is classified
as a safer alternative, Hydrofluorocarbon is still dangerous to the
ozone layer.

The experts were speaking in press conference organised during a
programme on the role of the Montreal Protocol treaty in combating
climate change, on the backdrop of the International Ozone Day which
falls on September 16. The event was inaugurated by Pune municipal
commissioner Mahesh Zagade.

"With its many centres of excellence, be it the manufacturing or
automobile industry, research and academic centres, Pune will provide
great opportunities for collaboration for the development of new
technology," Steven Anderson, co-chairperson of the Technical and
Economic Assessment Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme,
said.

"The big news is that even the recently-formed country of Timor Leste
has recently ratified the Montreal Protocol. This makes it the only UN
treaty to be supported by every country in the world, both developed
and developing. India, especially will emerge as a major contributor
in the days to come with its assorted centres of excellence," he
said.

Environmentalist Gus Welder from the Netherlands Environment Protocol
Assessment Agency said that as per the latest studies conducted by the
UNEP to assess the Ozone layer, "the depletion of the Ozone level
which was spotted in the 1980s would recover by the middle of this
century, that is 2050. This would be mainly be because of the reducing
of CFCs (chloroflurocarbons) in the atmosphere by a natural process.
However, the effects of the same would be observed in the Polar
regions only 20 years after that, as it has a different climate."

Atul Bagai, Regional Network Co-ordinator for the OzonAction Program,
UNEP, who was also present on the occasion, said: "The substantial
climate benefits of the Montreal Protocol have resulted in the
international community recognising that an effective climate change
mitigation strategy must look beyond CO2. The parties to the Montreal
Protocol have recently enhanced their focus on the climate mitigation
potential of this treaty while continuing to recognise that more needs
to be done to repair the ozone layer."

A fact sheet issued by Rajendra Shende, Head, OzonAction, UNEP
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, stated: "Estimates say
that the HCFC agreement could reduce emissions by upto 16 billion
metric-tonnes of CO2-equivalent, depending on the success of
governments' encouraging new ozone and climate-friendly techniques.
Annually, the acceleration of HCFCs could result in a reduction of
more than 3.5% of all the world's current greenhouse gas emissions."

It added: "In the process of converting from ozone-depleting
substances, the energy efficiency of refrigeration and air
conditioning applications has improved. For example, chillers today
use 65% less energy than the 1970s. In fact, it is being recognised
that improving energy efficiency is the fastest, most sustainable and
cheapest way to reduce climate emissions."

Furthermore, destroying ozone-depleting substances from stockpiles and
from discarded products and equipment that are accessible could speed
recovery of the ozone layer by upto two years, and avoid upto 6
billion tonners or more of CO2-equivalent in climate emissions, it
added.


The Montreal Protocol

Following the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole in late 1985, the
international community recognised the need for solid measures to
reduce the production and consumption of substances that deplete the
ozone.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete The Ozone Layer was
adopted on September 16, 1987 and entered into force on January 1,
1989.