Speaking at the High-Level Segment of the Joint Meeting of the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and the 26th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim called upon the Convention and the Protocol to give due consideration to the specific needs and challenges of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in phasing out hydrocholrofluorocarbons (HCFCs).
In this regard, Minister Thoriq noted that the issue of addressing HCFC uses for the cooling needs of the fisheries sector and related facilities would be critical for the compliance of SIDS under the Montreal Protocol. He furthermore noted the Maldives concern that current alternatives to HCFC such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have a high global warming potential, thereby causing a tension with the national policies towards low emissions development and climate change concerns.
Minister Thoriq further reiterated the support of the Maldives to address the increase of HFCs within the framework of the Montreal Protocol. The increase of HFCs have largely been a result of phasing out HCFC under the Protocol as countries switch out of HCFCs. In this regard, the Minister noted that the Montreal Protocol was suited to take on the task given its expertise and track record in the successful implementation of global environmental agreements.
The Joint Meeting of the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and the 26thMeeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol is being held at Paris, France from the 17th to 22nd of November 2014.