- India phased out hydrochlorofluorocarbons in manufacturing by the end of 2024.
- This phase out is part of the goals under the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty that aims to eliminate the production and use of ozone-depleting substances.
- In discussing solutions, experts call for sustainable alternatives to ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases, that do need replacement in the future.
As 2024 came to a close, India phased out the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbon, an ozone-depleting substance, in manufacturing new equipment.
Phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) – a chemical that breaks down the ozone layer, increasing harmful UV radiation – is in line with India’s deadline set in the 2014 amendment to the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, which mandated that all equipment and products relying on HCFCs be discontinued by January 1, 2025. This is also part of India’s commitment to the Montreal Protocol.
What is the Montreal Protocol?
The Montreal Protocol, introduced in 1987, is an international treaty that aims to eliminate the production and use of ozone-depleting substances. It came into force in 1989, has been termed one of the “most successful” multilateral environmental agreements. Parties to the protocol have phased out 98% of the ozone-depleting substances globally compared to 1990 levels. With the continued implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the ozone layer is projected to recover by the middle of this century which, in turn, is estimated to protect two million people from skin cancer annually by 2030.
The origins of the treaty can be traced back to 1974 when scientists raised an alarm bell after publishing their first scientific hypotheses that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) harm the stratospheric ozone layer, the second-lowest layer of the atmosphere of the Earth, which protects against excessive ultraviolet radiation. They claimed that the widely used CFCs go to the stratosphere and remain there for decades to centuries, releasing chlorine and breaking down the ozone layer.
This resulted in the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer that laid out a framework to promote cooperation among countries to protect the ozone layer, by sharing information on the effects of human activities on the ozone layer. However, consensus on taking concrete action came with Montreal Protocol in 1987. Initially, it targetted controlling the use of CFCs but later added other substances such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Chandra Bhushan, CEO of iForest, a New Delhi-based non-profit, highlights that the Montreal Protocol is the only legally binding international agreement of the 21st century. “Under this, every country has compliance goals evaluated annually. It is also the only protocol where a multilateral fund has been active for around 30 years, with developed countries financing initiatives in developing nations,” he says.

What is hydrochlorofluorocarbon or HCFC?
HCFCs are chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. They have widely been used in the foam, refrigeration, and air conditioning industries. They were initially introduced as temporary substitutes for CFCs due to their shorter atmospheric lifetimes (they break down faster than CFC) and release less reactive chlorine into the ozone layer.
In 1991, studies revealed that even with the phase-out of ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFCs and halons, ozone depletion continued unabated. It became evident to address ozone depletion, other ozone-depleting substances such as HCFCs and methyl bromide had to be controlled.
HCFCs were not naturally present in the atmosphere during the early 20th century. However, their usage expanded when they were promoted as an alternative to accelerate the phase-out of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. Over time, HCFCs emissions also became a concern as their presence increased, explains Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML), a research centre of USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
With the growing concern around HCFCs, the 1992 Copenhagen Amendment to the Montreal Protocol accelerated HCFC phase-out for developed countries. Another amendment in 1997, pushed for HCFC phase-out for developing countries. Eventually, in the 2007 meeting of the Montreal Protocol parties, the timeline for HCFC phase out was set as 2020 for developed countries and 2030 for developing countries.
What is hydrofluorocarbon or HFC?
Another element used as an alternative to CFCs and HCFCs is hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), commonly used in refrigeration, air-conditioning (AC), building insulation, fire extinguishing systems and aerosols. HFCs are not ozone-depleting substances like CFCs and HCFCs. They are greenhouse gases and have global warming potential, making them a concern for climate change. Uncontrolled growth in HFC emissions challenges efforts to keep global temperature rise at or below 2°C this century, says the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In 2016, Montreal Protocol adopted the Kigali agreement where parties agreed to control the use of HFCs as well. The Kigali Agreement set a goal to phase down HFCs by 85% by 2036 for developed countries and by 2047 for developing countries.
The pathway to phase-down HFCs is to adopt energy-efficient technologies with a low global warming potential and reduce dependency on alternatives that contribute highly to global warming.
Vaibhav Chaturvedi, a Senior Fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a New Delhi-based think tank, explains that the success story of the Montreal Protocol had a significant impact when discussions around HFCs began. Typically, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) governs all greenhouse gases. Thus, there was an interesting debate about why the Montreal Protocol should oversee HFCs instead. Consequently, parties decided that the control of HFCs should fall under the Protocol while reporting and monitoring would remain with the UNFCCC. Chaturvedi speculates the reason being the Protocol’s proven success.

What has India achieved so far?
India became a party to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1991 and signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, in 1992.
In 1993, India prepared a detailed country programme to phase out ozone-depleting substances. To facilitate this, the environment ministry established an ozone cell to ensure the timely implementation of ozone-depleting substance phase-out activities, notes The Montreal Protocol, India’s Success Story, a report by the MoEFCC, released in September 2014, that details the country’s journey.
The report says that India primarily produced and used nine of the 96 ozone-depleting substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol. It also claims that India phased out the production and consumption of CFCs, CTC, and halons as of January 1, 2010, with the exception of pharmaceutical-grade CFCs used in Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs) for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The country has also phased out methyl chloroform and methyl bromide production and consumption.
Another report released in 2023 mentions that India’s efforts to phase out HCFCs are particularly significant, as it is the second-largest producer and consumer of these substances. This makes India’s actions critical to protecting the ozone layer and mitigating climate change.
[/iframe]
The recent phase-out of HCFCs in manufacturing new equipment in India is part of the second stage of the HCFCs Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) that ended in 2024. India is currently implementing Stage III aiming for a sustainable and complete HCFC phase-out by 2030.
After CFCs and HCFCs, the country has a phase-out plan for limiting the use of HFCs. “India has undertaken to complete its phase down in four steps from 2032 onwards with cumulative reduction of 10% in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 85% in 2047,” as per a statement released in the Parliament in 2017.

Where does the global negotiation stand?
At the 2024 Conference of Parties (COP) to the Vienna Convention and Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Bangkok countries were negotiating future solutions for cooling technology and energy consumption.
The meeting concentrated on refrigerants and the issue of leakage, given the significant carbon footprint associated with frequent leaks, shared Chandra Bhushan from iForest. “There is a push for countries to establish standards to manage refrigerant leakage effectively. Another major focus is on developing new technologies to replace vapour compression systems,” he adds. More sustainable cooling solutions have come up, like solar cooling, evaporative cooling and radiant cooling, etc. These are more energy-efficient but not yet widely available in the market. The dialogue now revolves around how to bring such innovations to scale.
Bhushan points out that the vapour compression technology widely used in air conditioning systems is highly energy-intensive. “Air conditioners are among the most energy-consuming equipment in any building. Now, with the Montreal Protocol expanding its focus from ozone layer protection to tackling global warming, the discussion is shifting towards addressing energy consumption as well,” he explains.
Bhushan also highlights a broader debate within the Montreal Protocol framework regarding the sequential shift from one chemical to another—CFCs to HCFCs, then to HFCs. Now, hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) are being discussed as potential solutions. “HFOs are not ozone-depleting and do not contribute to global warming, but they are water pollutants. Eventually, there will be discussions about phasing out HFOs as well. The ultimate need is to transition to sustainable solutions like natural refrigerants, which do not require repeated replacements,” he concludes.
Chaturvedi from CEEW also underlines the ad-hoc solution in Montreal Protocol’s journey but acknowledges the challenge of anticipating future problems that may occur due to chemicals. Additionally, he notes that the Montreal Protocol was nearly finalised by the time climate change emerged as a significant global debate.
Chaturvedi also pointed out that transitioning from HFCs to HFOs shifts the focus from a global to a local problem. This means countries move away from United Nations frameworks, and the issue becomes one of domestic regulation. He warns of potential pollution challenges, particularly in poorer countries with weaker regulatory systems. However, he sees a positive side that the local governments gain the authority to regulate and address these issues without external interference.
Banner image: HCFCs are chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. They have widely been used in the foam, refrigeration, and air conditioning industries. Image by Jose Antonio Gallego Vázquez via Pexels.