VATIS UPDATE Article

The Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol has approved US$5.68 million for the conversion of foam manufacturing industries to cleaner technologies in Pakistan. The funding was approved by the fund’s executive committee. 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 carbon dioxide (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. 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.

According to the Ministry, 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).