The Government, in association with NGOs and resident welfare associations, must offer incentives to households to adopt clean and green technologies, especially in air-conditioning and refrigeration systems
In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly designated September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone layer. Ever since, the world has gone into an overdrive to preserve the precious cover and protect the planet from harmful ultraviolet rays.
As part of this effort, chlorofluorocarbons, that are present in aerosols and refrigerants, are being reined in, as they are the main cause for the depletion of the ozone layer. It will take an estimated 50 years at least for the ozone layer to return to its pre-CFC state as the speed of depletion has overtaken conservation efforts.
It is estimated that for the loss of every one per cent of ozone layer, two per cent of ultraviolet rays gain access to the earth surface consequently resulting in a variety of problems such as skin and eye diseases for human beings and disruption of plant life-cycle leading to disruption in the food chain.
The Montreal Protocol spearheads the effort to save the ozone layer. It was introduced on September 16, 1987, with a specific mandate to protect the ozone layer from substances such as the CFCs. Under this protocol, developed nations have discontinued the use of CFC since the year 2000 and, have ever since, moved on to partially-halogenated CFC, called hydro-chlorofluorocarbon.
The HCFCs are scheduled to be phased out of developed countries by 2020 and replaced by a more expensive and patented product, the non-chlorinated HFC. Developing countries plan to phase out the HCFCs by 2030.
But the road ahead for developing countries is ambiguous and vague as the products that will replace HCFCs must not only be affordable but far more climate-friendly than the HFCs which are the current substitutes.
HFCs are harmless to the ozone layer as unlike CFCs and HCFCs, they do not contain chlorine. However, HFCs are super-greenhouse gases with an extremely high greenhouse warming potential. They can trap enormous amounts of infra-red radiation in the atmosphere, coming from the sun, and can produce a greenhouse effect that is thousand times stronger than carbon dioxide.
Emerging countries also need to ensure that the chemical products adopted are free of ozone-depleting substances and also do not contribute to greenhouse warming. These are daunting challenges. The available alternatives are still in the experimental stage, they are controversial and expensive, and in the hands of companies protected by patents. Sadly, the Montreal Protocol does not provide solutions to these challenges.
In spite of the odds, in the foam and refrigeration sectors, alternatives such as hydrocarbons are gaining popularity. At present, 36 per cent of the refrigeration and foam sectors use hydrocarbons. This is set to grow to 75 per cent by year 2020. In addition, many multi-national such as Nestle, Unilever and Marks & Spencer are adopting ‘non-HFC’ policies and actively promoting the use of ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons. In India, the refrigeration market is currently pegged at `10,000crore with an compounded annual growth rate of 11 per cent.
But the adoption of new alternatives, such as hydrocarbons, has its own hurdles. There is insufficient technical knowhow, a lack of skilled technicians, limited component and spares supply and higher investments costs. This, therefore, restricts the transition to new ozone-friendly products and technology. lack of awareness among the general public about the importance of ozone layer conservation only makes the situation worse.
The Government and NGOs engaged in environmental work can contribute a lot in terms of raising awareness. In addition, Government premises across the country can be made ‘ozone conservation compliant’. This can be achieved by first choosing products, be it refrigeration units or air conditioners, that do not use harmful gases and employ ozone-friendly substances such as HCFCs.
Apart from this, the Government should design and implement a phase-out plan for ozone-depleting substances, according to which current equipment that utilises harmful substances should be methodically phased out from all Government establishments.
To make the ozone initiative a mainstream effort the Government in association with NGOs and resident welfare associations should educate the general public on ozone conservation and offer incentives to adopt clean and green technologies, especially in air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
On a totally different plane, the Government should play a positive role in global forums to ensure that new ozone-friendly technologies are not monopolised by commercial corporations and remain within the reach of developing countries instead of becoming the privilege of a select few.