China is the largest
producer, consumer and exporter of HCFCs
in the world.
The phaseout of HCFCs in China will help
to protect ozone and combat climate change
Shanghai, 19 December
2011 China's Ministry of Environmental Protection
today launched the HCFC Phase-out Management
Plan (HPMP), a US$270 million project to
cut consumption of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) by 1 January 2015.
Further Resources
UNEP OzoneActionThe HCFC-phaseout in China
is impacting chemical production, foam,
industrial and commercial refrigeration,
air conditioners, refrigeration servicing
and solvent sectors, whose total output
amounts to billions of Renminbi and will
involve tens of thousands of enterprises
and millions of workers.
At the launch, China's
central governmental Ministries, industrial
associations, local environmental protection
bureaus, research institutes and universities
as well as over 100 large companies, which
produce and use HCFCs, guaranteed their
support to the programme. In addition 12
selected companies representing the PU,
XPS, room air conditioning, industrial and
commercial refrigeration sectors signed
the voluntary pledge to join hands for the
conversion of their production lines as
specified under the approved HPMP plan.
"China is the largest
producer, consumer and exporter of HCFCs
in the world: more than 70% of global HCFC
production, and 50% of total consumption
of developing countries. Therefore, the
phaseout of HCFCs in China will play an
essential role for the successful implementation
of the Montreal Protocol. In addition, it
will also positively affect the mitigation
of the global climate change due to their
high GWP. However, in the past three years,
the HCFCs in China has been increasing at
11% annually", said Mr. Lijun Zhang,
Vice Minister of Environmental Protection
of China.
Mr. Zhang added that
"as a responsible developing country,
China will earnestly live up to her promises
and meet her commitments." In his speech,
Mr. Zhang requested that industry comply
with the HPMP's target, and urged the local
Environmental Protection Bureau (EPBs) to
strengthen their capacity for effectively
enforcing the HCFC production and consumption
control measures.
HCFCs are mainly used
in China as refrigerants for air-conditioners
and industrial and commercial refrigeration,
as well as a blowing agent for foam and
as solvent. Under the Montreal Protocol
on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,
all Parties must gradually reduce and eventually
phase-out their production and consumption
of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), including
HCFCs.
Labeled as the "Factory
of the World", China's phase-out of
HCFCs is an ambitious mission, impacting
industries which will have to convert hundreds
of assembly lines to meet China's obligations
as a signatory to the Montreal Protocol.
Based on Decision XIX/6
of the Meeting of the Parties in 2007, China
must achieve a freeze in baseline consumption
(2009-2010 average) by 2013 and a 10% reduction
by 2015. The country's State Council enforced
the ODS Management Regulations on 1 June
2010 to provide legal basis for the ODS
phase-out work.
"The China HPMP
has been well developed and has set the
roadmap to meet these targets. We are therefore
optimistic that the government, industries,
relevant international organizations, and
other key stakeholders will work together
to ensure the success of this programme,"
said Mr. Christophe Bahuet, United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director
of China, the lead implementing agency for
China's HPMP initiative.
Through the HPMP, 45,000
metric tons of HCFCs, or about 17% of China's
total amount of controlled HCFCs use, will
be eliminated. In addition, as part of the
project, the new technologies to replace
the HCFC technologies currently used by
the industries will significantly reduce
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the country.
The funding for the
HPMP was approved by the Executive Committee
of the Multilateral Fund for the implementation
of the Montreal Protocol in July 2011 to
assist China in their historic commitment
on environmental protection. UNDP, the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO), the World
Bank and the Governments of Germany and
Japan are assisting China in their HPMP,
and all participated in the launching event
to lend their support. The Chairman of the
Executive Committee and the Chief Officer
of the Multilateral Fund Secretariat, representatives
of donor member from Australia, the Netherlands,
Switzerland and the United States were also
invited to the meeting.
"We at UNEP are
very enthusiastic in assisting the government
of China in their capacity-building and
public awareness campaign on the phase-out
of HCFCs. We very much appreciate the strong
political commitment made by the Government
of China in the implementation of the Montreal
Protocol, and we are also very pleased to
witness the pledge made by the industry"
said Mr. Zhang Shigang, UNEP Coordinator
in China in his address to participants
at the launch.
Several Chinese celebrities
have also expressed their support in the
advocacy of ozone layer protection, including
UNEP Goodwill Ambassador and Chinese actress
Li Bingbing and world-renowned artist and
UNEP Patron for Arts and Environment Profressor
Yuan Xikun, who are both involved in voluntary
projects for this cause.
