China
launches US$265 million project to protect ozone and combat climate
change
(Source - UNEP News Centre)
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China's Ministry of
Environmental Protection, on December 19, 2011, launched the Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) Phase-out
Management Plan (HPMP), a US$270 million project to cut
consumption of HCFCs by 1 January 2015.
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.
The 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 Professor Yuan
Xikun, who are both involved in voluntary projects for this cause.
For More Information, Please Contact:
Chen Hao, UNEP China Office, Tel: +86-10- 85320921,
Email: hao.bath@gmail.com
(HCFCs) Phase-out
Management Plan (HPMP), a US$270 million project to cut
consumption of HCFCs by 1 January 2015.