The successful conversion of five foam manufacturing industries to more cleaner technologies has led the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol to approve US$5.68 million for the second phase.
The funding was approved by the fund’s executive committee two weeks ago.
It will help Pakistan reduce its consumption of hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) by 50 per cent in 2020, and with full implementation of the plan, it will prevent the emissions equivalent of 685,000 tonnes of CO2.
Pakistan has successfully reduced use of various Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), including chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and carbon tetrachloride (CTC).
The Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) has been working on the second phase-out programme of HCFCs since 2011.
“Pakistan has no indigenous production of HCFCs, but it imports ODS to meet the needs of domestic industries,” MoCC Media and Communication Deputy Director Saleem Shaikh said.
He said HCFCs were mostly used in refrigeration and air conditioning, along with polyurethane foam manufacturing.
The phasing-out of HCFCs from Pakistan is ascertained through Hydro chlorofluorocarbon Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP).
In the first phase of the plan, the five foam manufacturing industries were converted to ozone friendly technology by 2015; and the MoCC mobilised international financing for its implementation.
“The plan is very ambitious and will enable Pakistan to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 50% by 2020,” the Ministry of Climate Change said in a statement.
Ministry source said that alternative technologies had been carefully selected to carry out the HCFC phase-out and to maximize the climate benefit. After successful completion of the first phase last year, Ministry of Climate Change prepared the phase two document in consultation with stakeholders.
The plan will be implemented by the government in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The Montreal Protocol, under the UN’s patronage, was signed in 1987 to curb the use of ozone layer-depleting substances.
Pakistan ratified the Montreal Protocol in 1992 and has been working towards implementing the protocol since then.
