Introduction

A man in the United States has been charged for smuggling greenhouse gases. This is the first such instance where charges have been framed for smuggling such gases.

Smuggling Banned Coolants Threatening Ozone Layer

• Smuggling: The accused had bought canisters of banned coolants used in old air conditioners and refrigerators in Mexico, and then smuggled them to the US in his car.
  • The Illegal Chemicals: Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and a form of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), known as HCFC 22, were sold by the accused.
  • In the 1990s, HFCs and HCFCs became mainstream after being considered as an alternative to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
  • Selling: The banned coolants were then sold by the accused online at marketplaces such as OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace.
• Effects of the Chemicals: These refrigerants are released into the atmosphere by damaged appliances or car ACs, causing holes in the ozone layer.
• Impact: Before HFCs and HCFCs emerged, CFCs were the popular refrigerants for ACs and fridges. 
  • After research found that increased levels of CFCs in the atmosphere were responsible for low ozone levels above Antarctica, they were banned.

Regulating Banned Chemicals: US Laws Impacting Ozone-Depleting Substances

• Clean Air Act of 1990: It implemented the Montreal Protocol in the US to regulate air emissions from stationary and mobile sources.
  • Accordingly, HCFC 22 is a regulated ozone depleting substance and its import is banned for any purpose other than the one which results in its transformation or destruction.
• American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act: It does not allow import of HFC into the US in bulk without the EPA’s permission.

What are Greenhouse Gases?

Greenhouse gases are a type of atmospheric gases that have the capability of raising the surface temperature by absorbing solar radiation.

• Types: Carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor.
• Effects: The greenhouse effect, which is caused by greenhouse gases, is a natural phenomenon that is necessary for life to thrive on earth.
  • However, if the greenhouse effect is amplified more than that is necessary, it leads to a phenomenon known as global warming.
• Sources: The amount of carbon dioxide and other radiation absorbing gases have increased due to anthropogenic activities such as industrial and vehicular emissions, paddy cultivation, fossil fuel extraction etc.
  • Excessive emission of these greenhouse gases reduces the ability of the earth to sequester them naturally, leading to global warming.

• Effects of Greenhouse Gases:

• • Warming of Earth: Due to greenhouse gases, the sun’s heat gets trapped in Earth’s atmosphere. This process makes Earth much warmer.
  • Melting of Polar Ice: Due to rise in global temperatures, polar ice gets melted. This could affect Earth’s climate drastically.
  • Depletion of Corals: Rise in sea surface temperatures could harm the survival of corals, which are vulnerable to hot temperatures.
  • Rise in Sea Levels: The melting of polar ice could lead to rise in sea levels, which could inundate low lying coastal areas.
  • Climate Vagaries: Climate change, which is a consequence of the greenhouse effect, will create vagaries in climate. It could lead to disasters such as cyclones, floods, landslides etc.

Greenhouse Gas Control Strategies: From Electric Vehicles to Geoengineering

• Electric Vehicles: It will reduce emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
• Promoting Renewable Energy: Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biofuel, tidal etc must be promoted to reduce dependency on coal.
• Afforestation: Growing trees will lead to sequestration of carbon.
  • This will keep the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in check.
• Climate-friendly Agriculture: Crops that emit methane must be avoided. If it is not possible, then methane footprint must be reduced.
• Geoengineering: The method such as carbon capture allows artificial reduction of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.

India’s Greenhouse Gas Progress: A 33% Reduction in 14 Years and Future Commitments

• Current Numbers: India hosts 17 percent of the global population, but its share of global carbon emissions is less than 4 per cent.
  • The per capita greenhouse gases emission in India is 2.4 tCO2e. This is quite lower than other G20 countries such as the US, China and Russia.
  • In the last 14 years, the greenhouse emissions rate has dropped by 33 per cent.
  • Going by the current trend, India is likely to achieve the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 45 per cent from the 2005 level by 2030, set by the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• India’s Historical Contributions: Historically, India has contributed to about 3% of CO2 emissions, whereas the US and the EU have contributed 25% and 17% respectively.
• Fall in Rates: In the last 14 years (2005-2019), greenhouse emissions rate has dropped by a faster-than-expected rate of 33%.
  • This figure shows that India is in line to fulfil its commitment to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to reduce emissions intensity by 45% from the 2005 level by 2030.

What is Ozone? – Formation, Depletion, and Vital Shield Against Harmful UV Rays

• About: Ozone (O3) is an inorganic molecule formed due to the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (O2). 
  • Natural ozone is formed in the Earth’s upper atmosphere (the stratosphere) and also the lower atmosphere (the troposphere). 
• Formation: Stratospheric ozone is formed through natural interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (O2).  
  • Ground-level ozone is formed due to the photochemical reactions between volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). 

• Depletion: When chlorine and bromine atoms from CFC, HCFC etc come into contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. 
  • Gradually, the ozone starts getting destroyed more quickly than it is naturally created. This causes its depletion.
• Importance: Ozone Layer protects the earth from Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. The depletion of the ozone layer enables harmful UV rays to reach the earth’s surface.

What are HFC and HCFC?

• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)

  • Composition: Hydrofluorocarbons are synthetic compounds that are composed of hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. 
  • Usage: They are produced to be used as refrigerants in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps. 
    • They can be found in foams, aerosols, fire protection and solvents. 
  • Climate Effects: They are short-lived climate pollutants with lifetime in atmosphere between 15 and 29 years. 
    • HFCs have low ozone depleting capacity but they are super greenhouse gases having thousands of times more warming potential than CO2.

• Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)

• • Composition: HCFCs are fully or partly halogenated hydrocarbons that is made up of hydrogen (H), chlorine (Cl), carbon (C) and fluorine (F).
  • Usage: HCFC are majorly used in the foam, refrigeration, air conditioning sectors, fire suppressants and solvent sectors. 
  • Climate Effects: The HCFCs have negative effects on the ozone layer and their phasing out is absolutely necessary for protections of the ozone layer.

Montreal Protocol: Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and Mitigating Climate Change

Montreal protocol signed in 1987 made it binding on signatory countries to regulate production and consumption of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer. This agreement has led to the phasing out of many ozone-depleting substances such as Chlorofluorocarbons and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons.

• Montreal protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and consumption of several man-made chemicals known as ozone depleting substances (ODS). 
• Objective: About 200 countries signed the Montreal protocol in 1987 to freeze the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, including CFCs.
• Targets: The Montreal protocol made it binding on countries to phase out CFCs by 1996, and HCFCs by 2030. 
• Governance: The Ozone Secretariat, which is located at UN Environment Programme headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, provides assistance to signatories of Montreal Protocol.
• The Multilateral Fund was established to provide financial assistance to developing countries whose annual per capita consumption and production of ODS is less than 0.3 kg.
• Kigali Amendment: The Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol came into effect to reduce HFCs usage globally by 85% in 2050.  
  • Successful implementation of this agreement could avoid more than 0.4 degree Celsius of global warming by 2100.

Conclusion

The phasing out of CFC had helped the ozone layer to recover and grow. The subsequent focus on HCFC has also reduced usage of ozone depleting substances significantly. However, without alternative chemicals, the problem of greenhouse gases will remain intact.