Parties to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty to protect the ozone layer, resumed negotiations here on phasing out HFCs. “The proposal means if developed countries will move fast so will developing countries. This will create a virtuous relationship so developed countries will be ambitious,” said Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director of Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment think-tank. While HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer, most of them are potent greenhouse gases. While countries like China and Kuwait have supported India’s proposal, there have been counter arguments at the conference about giving developed countries time for first increasing its usage and then phasing it out.

Source: The Hindu July 23, 2016 13:39 UTC