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Lo relevante del acuerdo y el día después

Por Romina Picolotti, Presidente CEDHA

Luego de años de negociaciones intensas, por primera vez en la historia los Estados de todo el mundo acuerdan trabajar de manera conjunta para evitar el daño irreversible de nuestra casa común.

El acuerdo es sin duda histórico y es crucial en la construcción de un mundo más justo.  Representa la transición inevitable hacia una matriz energética sustentable que reconoce que la Tierra tiene un límite.  El acuerdo reconoce expresamente la necesidad de promover el acceso universal a la energía sostenible en los países en desarrollo, a través del mayor despliegue de energías renovables.

El acuerdo de Paris además reconoce no solo la necesidad de no sobrepasar los 2°C de temperatura global pero además establece la obligación de proseguir los esfuerzos para limitar el aumento de temperatura de 1.5°C por encima de los niveles preindustriales, reconociendo que esto reduciría significativamente los riesgos y los impactos en los más vulnerables. Es que en realidad 2°C implicaría el sufrimiento de millones.

Requiere asimismo a los Estados revisar cada 5 años las contribuciones nacionales de mitigación reconociendo que las contribuciones realizadas hasta el momento nos llevan a un mundo de más de 2 grados de incremento en la temperatura global.

Finalmente establece la obligación de los países desarrollados de avanzar en mitigación integral en sus economías y promover el financiamiento necesarios para que los países en vías de desarrollo adopten acciones de mitigación a escala y ambiciosas.

Todo esto en un contexto de respeto de los derechos humanos como marco para las acciones de mitigación y adaptación necesarias.

Este acuerdo entrará en vigencia en el 2020 pero el Planeta no entiende de tiempos de vigencia. Es por ello que ahora más que nunca cobran relevancia aquellas acciones que nos permitan desacelerar el calentamiento global de manera rápida y efectiva. Entre ellas se encuentran las acciones para mitigar los contaminantes climáticos de vida corta que tienen la capacidad de evitar un incremento de 0.6°C de temperatura para el 2050.

Entre estas acciones las prioritarias son la enmienda del protocolo de Montreal para incluir la eliminación progresiva de los HFCs (gases que se utilizan en la refrigeración y las espumas) y acciones que nos permitan respirar, es decir la captura y reducción del hollín.

El acuerdo de Paris reconoce expresamente la necesidad de coordinar esfuerzos de mitigación con otros tratados, cumplir con esta sección del acuerdo implica enmendar el Protocolo de Montreal.

También reconoce la necesidad de acciones antes del 2020 y la obligación de garantizar el derecho a la salud, como por ejemplo, la captura del hollín.  Sin lugar a dudas la Coalición por el Clima y el Aire Limpio, la única coalición global que se ocupa de reducir la cantidad de hollín en la atmósfera, está llamada a jugar un rol transcendental para que la implementación del acuerdo de Paris sea una realidad.

Es que nos volvemos justos realizando actos de justicia, nos volvemos valientes realizando actos de valentía.  Con la declamación no es suficiente, ahora más que nunca Estados, sociedad civil y sector privado estamos obligados a actuar.

High-Level Assembly of ministers commits to HFC amendment in 2016

 

Ministers of the 50 Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) member countries launched a 5-year action plan today to cut short-lived climate pollutants, an effort that can avoid 0.6°C warming globally by 2050.  Fast action to reduce short-lived climate pollutants “is an urgent, effective and pragmatic complement to aggressive mitigation of carbon dioxide and other long-lived greenhouse gases,” read the Paris Communique released at the Paris, COP21 meeting today.

“There must be fast mitigation in multiple venues to avoid near-term impacts and to slow the positive feedback mechanisms which are starting to kick in and accelerate warming,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of IGSD and a speaker at the assembly. “The CCAC is fostering action that will be critical in the post-Paris pivot to slow the rate of warming.”

Ministers in attendance of the High-Level Assembly also recognized an HFC phasedown as “one of the greatest quick opportunities” for near-term mitigation:

“We Ministers affirm our strong support for an amendment of the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs, welcome the progress made at the 27th Meeting of the Parties, and commit to actively work together and with other countries to adopt an HFC amendment in 2016. Within the Coalition itself, we will continue to promote climate-friendly HFC alternatives while improving energy efficiency, and welcome private sector-efforts to develop and adopt technologies and practices that reduce HFC emissions.”

In November this year, Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to work together in 2016 to eliminate HFCs, one of the six main greenhouse gases. An HFC agreement will avoid 100 billion tones of CO2 by midcentury and avoid 0.5°C warming globally by 2100.  Parallel improvements in the efficiency of the air conditioners that were using HFCs as refrigerants can avoid another 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2050, according to recent report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

For more on the role of short-lived climate pollutants at COP21, check out Council on Foreign Relations guest blog by Nobel Laureate Mario Molina and Durwood Zaelke: Cutting Short-Lived Pollutants Can Give Quick Wins on Warming

 

 

The Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change (GMACCC) underscored the need for fast action on climate change, emphasizing the relation to global security and calling for militaries to act as key contributors to climate change preparedness at the the Paris climate conference today.

According to the 2015 Call to Action released by the GMACCC, “international stability from resource scarcity, extreme weather events, migration, disease, sea level rise” are threats to human security and therefore require global cooperation on climate change.

Major General Muniruzaman, GMACCC Chairman, stressed the relationship between climate change, mass migration, and terrorism.

“We have to focus on fast mitigation, from now until 2020 when the COP21 agreement is implemented, or we will face a problem that is twice as difficult to resolve, including disaster relief and climate resolution, and resources that would otherwise go to mitigation will diverted to disaster relief and conflict management,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of IGSD and speaker at the event today. “The military will play a critical role in the post-Paris pivot to fast action.”

For more on fast action and the post-Paris pivot, see the Council on Foreign Relations guest blog by Nobel Laureate Mario Molina and Durwood Zaelke: Cutting Short-Lived Pollutants Can Give Quick Wins on Warming

 

Fast action by governments and industry could avoid 0.6C warming by 2050

Paris, 4 December 2015 – National delegations and private sectors committed to new and increased actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPS) at the COP21 climate conference today. Among the fast action initiatives announced under the Lima Paris Action Agenda (LPAA) were sector commitments to reduce hydrofluorocarbons (potent greenhouse gases also known as HFCs) by 30 to 50% in the next 10 years.

Panelist at the event included French Minister of Environment Ségolène Royal, Nobel Laureate Mario Molina, Distinguished Professor V. Ramanathan, Ministries from Russia, Chile, Kenya, Mexico, Togo, Maldives, and New Zealand, as well as regional and private sector representatives.

“It will be much easier to reach our 2°C goal if we deal not only with carbon dioxide but also with short-lived climate pollutants,” said Dr. Molina.

Short-lived climate pollutants, which include black carbon, HFCs, methane, and tropospheric ozone, contribute as much as 40% to the current warming rate. Because short-lived climate pollutants have a life span of only days to fifteen years, their mitigation benefits will be felt within days to a decade of implementation.

Short-lived climate pollutants, are also largely responsible for air pollution, which is the cause of 7 million deaths per year, according to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the World Health Organization.

“The CCAC will be the champion of the post-Paris pivot for fast mitigation,” said Durwood Zaelke, IGSD President and a moderator of the SLCP event today.  “Aggressive cuts to short-lived climate pollutants could avoid up to 0.6°C of warming by mid-century, a significant part of the mitigation needed to keep the planet from warming more than 2°C above pre-Industrial levels.”

President Obama reminded the world of the success of the Montreal Protocol, an international climate agreement that continues to provide bold mitigation, at the Leaders Event opening of COP21.  “Earlier this month in Dubai, after years of delay, the world agreed to work together to cut the super-pollutants known as HFCs.  That’s progress.”

At the beginning of November, Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to work together in 2016 to eliminate HFCs, one of the six main greenhouse gases.  The Parties will use the treaty that has already successfully phased out nearly 100 chemicals that were damaging the stratospheric ozone layer.  

“President Obama reminded us that the climate keeps changing and in many ways faster than our efforts are to address it,” said IGSD President, Durwood Zaelke.  “Cutting short-lived climate pollutants like HFCs can provide us the near-term mitigation needed to avoid dangerous climate impacts like sea-level rise.”

The HFC agreement will eliminate warming from one of the six main greenhouse gases, the single biggest piece of mitigaiton available in the near-term. This will avoid up to 0.5C of warming by the end of the century, and avoid the equivalent of up to 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2050.

Parallel improvements in the efficiency of the air conditioners that were using HFCs as refrigerants can avoid another 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2050, according to recent report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Our two-page HFC Fact Sheet is available here; a more expansive discussion is in our our Primer on HFCs.

For more COP21 updates follow IGSD_DC on Twitter.

Details to be negotiated next year

Can avoid 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide, 0.5C of warming

Dubai, 6 November 2015 – The countries of the world agreed today to work together in 2016 to use the Montreal Protocol to eliminate the global warming contribution from one of the six main greenhouse gases by phasing down refrigerants called hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs. A long list of details are scheduled to be negotiated during a series of meetings next year during, both at an extraordinary Working Group meeting and an extraordinary Meeting of Parties.  The Montreal Protocol is the only UN treaty where all 197 countries of the United Nations participate.

“Many parties including the U.S., Mexico, Canada, island States, and the 54 countries of the Africa Group wanted to move faster with the details this week, but Gulf States and India demanded delay on details until after COP 21 in Paris next month, raising a red flag about their tactics in Paris,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, who participated in the Dubai negotiations.  Zaelke added, “If there’s a silver lining to this slow deliberation, it’s that the parties will be able to implement a strict phase down schedule much faster than usual. The market for superior substitutes is on the march and will be sweeping up the slow moving companies.”

“After seven years of efforts, we have at last agreed to amend the Montreal Protocol next year to phase down HFCs,” said Jeem Lippwe, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Federated States of Micronesia to the United Nations, who led his country’s delegation.  “This is a significant win for the climate system and for the momentum of multilateral climate cooperation heading into Paris.”

HFCs are increasing 10-15% per year, making them the fastest growing greenhouse gas in much of the world. They were once thought necessary to replace ozone-depleting substances like CFCs and HCFCs, which are now being phased out. A study by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory concluded that currently available alternatives to HFCs performed as well as or better in the hottest climates such as the Gulf.

Phasing down HFCs will provide climate mitigation up to 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050 and avoid up to 0.5C of warming by 2100.  This will be a major contribution to the world’s efforts to keep temperatures from passing 2C above pre-Industrial levels, beyond which potentially irreversible and catastrophic climate impacts are expected.  The world’s temperature has already risen by nearly 1C.

The Montreal Protocol is widely considered the world’s best environmental treaty.  It has already phased out nearly 100 chemicals that were damaging the stratospheric ozone layer, while also providing the most climate mitigation of any treaty, the equivalent of 135 billion tons of carbon dioxide. Its success has avoided $1.8 trillion in health care costs, according to Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, in his remarks yesterday at the opening of the high-level segment of the negotiations.

The past phase outs of refrigerants also has catalyzed improvements in the energy efficiency of the air conditioners and other appliances using the refrigerants, often by 30 to 60%.  Improving efficiency of room air conditioners could save enough energy to avoid building up to 2,500 medium-size power plants by 2050, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. (There are currently 2,300 coal-fired power plants in the world.) This would avoid the equivalent of up to an additional 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2050, while also saving money for consumers.

IGSD’s Primer on HFCs is here.

HFCs targeted under Montreal Protocol

Can avoid equivalent of 100 billion tons of CO2, half degree Celsius of warming

Dubai, 30 October 2015 – Tonight Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to launch formal negotiations to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) under the Montreal Protocol. After two days of discussions, Parties agreed on the path forward for the formal negotiations to phase down these super greenhouse gases, now growing at a rate to 10 to 15 percent per year.

Under the agreed terms of reference, the Parties will begin the formal negotiations Sunday, when the Meeting of the Parties begins in Dubai.

The US is sending a ministerial-level representative for the first time since 2007, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy.

“By beginning the amendment to phase down HFCs, Parties to the Montreal Protocol have agreed to move forward on the biggest, piece of climate mitigation in the near term,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development. “As Secretary Kerry warned yesterday, the Paris climate negotiations at the end of the year will not be enough to avoid the 2C warming limit.  An HFC phasedown is an important down payment prior to Paris.”

A global HFC phase down under the Montreal Protocol would avoid the equivalent of up to 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 2050, and 0.5C of warming by 2100, providing significant near-term gains to slow climate change.  HFCs are considered short-lived climate pollutants as they remain in the atmosphere for 15 years or less, but have a global warming potential often thousands of times more powerful than CO2.

The last issue to be agreed was the language on financing:

“Maintain the MLF as financial mechanism, and agree that additional financial resources will be provided by non-A5 [developed country] parties to offset costs arising out of HFC management for A5 [developing country parties] parties if obligations are agreed to.  In this regard key elements for financial support from the MLF for A5 parties will be developed by the contact group to provide guidance to the ExCom of the MLF, taking into account the concerns of parties.”

Op-Ed by US Secretary of State John Kerry on HFCs is here

Op-Ed by Military Leaders in India and Pakistan (ret.) on importance of HFC phasedown is here

IGSD’s Primer on HFCs is here

Phasing down hydrofluorocarbons from refrigerators and air conditioners is technically feasible and economically attractive

22 October 2015 – A new paper from the New Climate Economy recommends that Parties to the Montreal Protocol approve an amendment to phase down Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a fast mitigation action that could avoid the equivalent of up to 200 billion tones of carbon dioxide by 2050, and up to 0.5C of warming by the end of the century. By 2030, the HFC amendment could avoid 1.7 Gt CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions per year, more than the current annual emissions of Japan.

The paper, Phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), comes on the heels of a suite of new measures to reduce HFCs announced by US President Barack Obama on October 15, following earlier bilateral efforts to limit HFCs by the US and China. The paper suggests that countries not already working to phase down HFCs begin developing domestic HFC regulations while also improving energy efficiency.

According to the paper, phasing down HFCs, which are coolants found primarily in refrigerators and air conditioners, is economically attractive as well. Replacing them with greener alternatives has low upfront costs and can improve energy efficiency by as much as 50% or more. Coca-Cola, for example, has installed 1 million HFC-free coolers as of January, 2014, and reports a 40% improvement in energy efficiency since 2000. Automakers have found that any upfront costs of alternative refrigerants in motor vehicles are outweighed by annual savings on fuel costs.

“Today’s report indicates that an important part of winning the climate challenge is winning the battle against HFCs, which can provide one of the biggest, fastest pieces of climate mitigation in the near-term,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development and a paper co-author. “The 200 billion tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions this strategy can deliver is critical for reducing the most punishing climate impacts, including sea-level rise.”

HFCs are the fastest growing greenhouse gasses in much of the world, increasing at a rate of 10 to 15 percent per year. They are short-lived climate pollutants because they remain in the atmosphere for 15 years or less, but have a global warming potential often thousands of times more powerful than CO2. Other short-lived climate pollutants include methane gas, black carbon particles from dirty diesels, and tropospheric ozone, which is the main component of smog. Many expert groups, including the Climate and Clean Air Collation (CCAC) calculate that reducing short-lived climate pollutants must go hand in hand with cuts to CO2 and other long-lived greenhouse gases in order to stay below the 2C warming limit.

The paper identifies the Montreal Protocol as a cost-effective and established pathway for reducing HFCs, recognizing that the global treaty has already successfully phased out nearly 100 chemicals similar to HFCs, and has been accepted by 197 countries, making it the only UN treaty with universal ratification.

“Phasing down HFCs today is technically feasible, economically attractive, and environmentally responsible,” stated paper co-author Maxime Beaugrand. “We are increasingly optimistic that the world will agree at the Meeting of the Parties the first week of November to start a global phase-down of HFCs.”

“The global consensus on reducing HFCs is reaching a tipping point,” said Michael Jacobs, Senior Adviser to the New Climate Economy. “An amendment to include HFCs in the Montreal Protocol will yield dramatic environmental benefits and catalyze the international phase down of HFCs at a low cost.”

Support for the amendment is rapidly growing with 95 countries having submitted formal proposals to phase down HFCs through an amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Many other countries, including China and Brazil have agreed with President Obama to support the HFC amendment. The final Meeting of the Parties this year will be in the United Arab Emirates 1 to 5 November 2015.

–ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

Phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is a supporting paper for the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate’s 2015 report, Seizing the Global Opportunity: Partnerships for Better Growth and a Better Climate. The report can be found at http://2015.newclimateeconomy.report//home/igsd/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Phasing-down-HFCs_final_web.pdf. IGSD’s Primer on HFCs is available here.

The New Climate Economy is the flagship project of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. It was established by seven countries: Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Norway, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as an independent initiative to examine how countries can achieve economic growth while dealing with the risks posed by climate change.

Chaired by former Mexican President Felipe Calderón, and co-chaired by renowned economist Lord Nicholas Stern, the Commission comprises 28 leaders from 20 countries, including former heads of government and finance ministers, heads of international organisations, leading business people, investors, city mayors and economists.

Research for the Commission has been carried out by a partnership of leading global economic and policy institutes, including the World Resources Institute (Managing Partner), the Climate Policy Initiative, the Ethiopian Development Research Institute, the Global Green Growth Institute, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, the Overseas Development Institute, the Stockholm Environment Institute and Tsinghua University.

For more information go to www.newclimateeconomy.net

For media inquiries contact:

Durwood Zaelke zaelke@inece.org, (202) 498-2457

Katie Fletcher kfletcher@igsd.org, (202) 338-1300

Ferzina Banaji ferzina.banaji@newclimateeconomy.net

Joel Jaeger, joel.jaeger@newclimateeconomy.net

Industry promises fast action to cut super climate pollutant

Washington, DC, 15 October 2015 – Today the White House, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), and dozens of private companies launched the end game for hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) greenhouse gases both domestically through the federal procurement and the Clean Air Act, and globally, through the Montreal Protocol.  The HFC cuts were announced at a White House roundtable for private sector senior executives, organizations, and Administration officials, as part of the efforts to implement President Obama’s Climate Action Plan.  (See the White House Fact Sheet here.)

The Administration is implementing strong federal leadership in research, development, procurement, and regulation. The DOD will build weapons with new air conditioning and refrigeration that will significantly reduce HFCs, including in the Navy’s newest class destroyers and amphibious transport dock ships, and will share US technology designed to help protect climate with military organizations worldwide. EPA will accelerate the approval of technology safer for climate and will phase-down the use of damaging HFCs. Private companies including Arkema, Chemours (formerly DuPont), Daikin, Dow, and Honeywell announced new commitments towards the rapid commercialization of climate friendly substitutes for HFCs.

“Walking the walk on HFCs in the US has been essential for the President Obama’s global leadership to phase down these super greenhouse gases under the Montreal Protocol, where 95 parties have now submitted formal proposals to amend the treaty to cut HFCs,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, who attended the event. “Many more countries including China, India, and Brazil, have pledged their support for the HFC agreement in bilateral meetings with President Obama.”

A global HFC phase down under the Montreal Protocol would avoid the equivalent of up to 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 2050, and 0.5C of warming by 2100, providing significant near-term gains to slow climate change.  The annual meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol will take place in Dubai 1 to 5 November. While almost all of the Parties are supporting the HFC amendment, there are a few in the Gulf that have yet to see the advantage of the HFC amendment, including Saudi Arabia, so the outcome remains uncertain.

Two reports on HFCs were released today estimating the US and global benefits of an HFC phase down.  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that a modest 30% improvement in room air conditioners energy efficiency along with low-GWP refrigerants would avoid the equivalent of up to an additional 100 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2050, while also saving money for consumers. The combined transition of HFC replacements with energy efficiency improvements could avoid ~25 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions by 2030.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory addressed a key concern of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, concluding that already available alternatives to HFCs performed as well as or better in the hottest climates. “Oak Ridge and their advisors proved once and for all that next-generation room air conditioning technology can help protect the climate and clean the air even in the hottest climates,” said Dr. Stephen O. Andersen, IGSD Director of Research. “High-GWP refrigerants are unwanted and obsolete and will be rapidly abandoned under national regulations and the pending Montreal Protocol HFC phase down amendment. It is particularly significant that the low-GWP natural refrigerant R-290 and the medium-GWP refrigerant R-32 (GWP 3 and 677 respectively) outperform the energy efficiency of the ozone-depleting greenhouse gas HCFC-22 and the high-GWP HFC-410A (1760 and 1923 respectively).”

The DOE will host an event later today with Secretary Moniz and Administrator McCarthy showcasing equipment related to private sector commitments announced today.  A press Q and A will follow.

IGSD’s Primer on HFCs is here.

Fast uptake of safe substitutes can quickly replace damaging HFCs

Washington, DC, 6 October 2015 – In the continuing battle to phase down the super-greenhouse gasses known as HFCs, today environmental groups demanded that the EPA withdraw approval for these chemicals in all application where lower global warming potential (GWP) alternatives are now available.  The petition, submitted by the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), was filed with EPA under the Clean Air Act’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP).

“The Obama administration is taking the lead to cut HFCs both at home and abroad,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of IGSD. “Stopping use of HFCs that are no longer needed is part of the effort, and it demonstrates to the rest of the world that the US is serious about a global phase down of HFCs, which can avoid up to 0.5°C of warming by the end of the century.”

The use of HFCs, which are found primarily in refrigeration, air conditioning, and foam and aerosol products, is increasing more quickly in the US than any other greenhouse, and at a rate of 10 to 15 percent globally.

The ongoing campaign to reduce HFCs includes efforts on state and federal levels and well as the global level. Last week California’s Air Resources Board pledged to reduce HFCs by 40% by 2030. Support to phase down HFCs is also increasing on the intentional level.  So far 95 countries have submitted formal proposals to phase down HFCs through an amendment to the Montreal Protocol.  Many other countries, including China and Brazil have agreed with President Obama to support the HFC amendment.  The final meeting of the parties this year will be in the United Arab Emirates 1 to 5 November.

“Victory is still possible this year, and the near-term climate benefits will be monumental,” added Zaelke. “Not only could an HFC phase down under the Montreal Protocol avoid 100 (87-146) billion tonnes CO2 equivalent by 2050, another 100 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent could be added by making the air conditioners and other appliances that use the refrigerants super-efficient.” The calculations on air conditioning efficiency were recently released by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

More details on the EPA petition can be found on David Doniger’s NRDC blog here.

IGSD’s Primer on HFCs is here.