The 2024 Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Vienna Convention and the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Montreal Protocol took place amidst new threats posed by fugitive emissions of HFC23 as well as concerns about how best to address the gaps in atmospheric monitoring and potential challenges presented by very short-lived substances.
Delegates also considered how to promote life-cycle refrigerant management to prevent unwanted emissions of HFCs in the refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump sector through recovery, recycling, and reclamation efforts.
Citing “a collegial atmosphere” that marked the meetings, the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report highlights that the meeting resulted in a record number of decisions on issues relevant to the implementation of the Convention, the Protocol, and the Kigali Amendment.
Discussions around the decision on unexpected emissions of HFC-23 – the longest-lived and most potent greenhouse gas (GHG) among HFCs, with a 100-year global warming potential (GWP) of 14,800 and an atmospheric lifetime of 222 years – were among the most heated, according to the ENB analysis of the meeting. Updated research by the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP) and the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) revealed a gap between global HFC-23 emissions reported by parties and emission estimates derived from measured atmospheric abundances. Estimates show that 75-89% of emissions are not accounted for in emissions data reported by parties. Based on the SAP’s studies, unreported emissions from China account for about 20-50% of the global emissions gap.
The final decision, inter alia, requests “relevant” parties to undertake, “as appropriate,” and to encourage scientific institutes to undertake (or cooperate with other institutions in undertaking), atmospheric monitoring of HFC-23 and research on sources of HFC-23 emissions and to share the results with the scientific community.
Delegates also adopted decisions on, among other issues:
- Changes to data reporting forms for reporting on HFC-23;
- Life-cycle refrigerant management;
- Very short-lived substances;
- Feedstock uses of controlled substances;
- Enhancing the global and regional atmospheric monitoring of controlled substances;
- Developments related to metered-dose inhalers with low GWP propellants; and
- Future availability of halons and their alternatives.
Further strengthening Montreal Protocol institutions, and avoiding imports of energy-inefficient products and equipment containing or relying on controlled substances were also among the issues covered in the decisions.
However, ENB reports, delegates could not come to a decision on strengthening the enabling environment to enhance energy efficiency in the cooling sector. This issue, as well as isomers of HFCs not explicitly listed under the Protocol and the changing of the cut-off date for HFC phaseout, will be discussed at future Montreal Protocol meetings.
COP 13/MOP 36 convened from 28 October to 1 November 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. [ENB Coverage of COP 13/MOP 36]
