Vital Ozone Graphics 3

33

ODS BANKS REDUCTION POTENTIAL BY 2015 ODS BANKS REDUCTION POTENTIAL BY 2015

demonstrate the benefits of ODS destruction. Yet, action to recover and destroy CFC and HCFC banks in refrigera- tion and air-conditioning represent a cost-effective means of protecting the ozone layer and climate system, because the technology is available and the chemicals are reach- able (with the exception of insulation foams where destruc- tion is more complicated). Simply destroying the most cost-effective banks in refrigeration and air-conditioning units at end-of-life could accelerate the return of the ozone layer to its pre-1980 state. According to the graph below, the costs of avoiding a giv- en amount of GHG emissions by destroying ODS are lower than the average price of the same amount on the official carbon market. It is therefore cheaper to destroy ODS than to take other measures to avoid GHG emissions. Advocates of controlled destruction point out the unique opportunity to hit a double target and call for the allocation of funding to support developing (Article-5) countries in manag- ing and destroying their ODS banks. Quick action is need- ed because the longer we wait, the more ODS will escape uncontrolled into the air and reduce the potential benefits. Another measure providing quick results is to improve the efficiency of the equipment in place and avoid leakages. Commercial refrigeration systems are characterized by sig- nificant leakage (15–30% of annual charge).

BY SUBSTANCE

BY SECTOR

Million tonnes of CO 2 -equivalent per year

Medical aerosol

1 200

Foams

Domestic refrigeration Transport refrigeration Industrial refrigeration

10% CFCs

1 100

15 % Mobile

air conditioning

1 000

28% HCFCs

900

17% Stationary

air conditioning

800

700

600

25% HFC-23 by-product

500

DESTROYING ODS BANKS: A CHEAP WAY TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE DESTROYING ODS BANKS: A CHEAP WAY TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE

400

62% HFCs

Average destruction cost (“Low effort” estimates) Dollars per tonne of CO 2 -equivalent

Developed (Non-Article 5) countries Developing (Article 5) countries

300

Commercial refrigeration

30

34 % Commercial refrigeration

Domestic refrigeration

200

On the Carbon Market, 22 dollars is the average price of one tonne of GhG emissions avoided in developing countries.*

25

20

ALL SECTORS

Transport refrigeration

100

15

Stationary air conditioning

Fire protection

10

Industrial refrigeration

0

5

Mobile air conditioning

If no reduction measures were taken, 2009-2015 emissions from ODS banks could exceed all reductions achieved in 4 years under the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012).

0

Source: Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, Frequently asked questions about destroying ozone-depleting substance banks under the Montreal Protocol, 2009. * Under Kyoto’s Clean Development Mechanism, average for 2005-2008 in CO 2 -equivalent.

Sources: IPCC/TEAP Special Report, “Safeguarding the ozone layer and the global climate system”, 2005 ; Environmental Investigation Agency, Recovery and destruction of ODS banks: Immediate action for Global climate protection , July 2009.