Việt Nam strives to eliminate substances harmful to ozone layer

This decision has been incorporated in the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and other relevant documents.

Việt Nam has announced a plan to phase out Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to curb the consumption of these harmful substances that deplete the ozone layer.

Tăng Thế Cường, director general of the Department of Climate Change under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, stated that the roadmap will see a gradual reduction of HFCs starting from 2024 through to 2028. The country will reduce consumption by 10 per cent in 2029-2034, 30 per cent in 2035-2039, 50 per cent in 2040-2044 and 80 per cent from 2045.

This decision has been incorporated in the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and other relevant documents.

Cường revealed that to actualise the above roadmap, his department is working in partnership with the World Bank, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and other experts to develop a management and elimination plan for HFCs in Việt Nam's first phase (KIP I).

Through surveying, collecting and analysing data, specialised management agencies have grasped the situation of HFC consumption in Việt Nam and forecast growth trends. They aim to determine the necessary interventions in terms of mechanisms, investments and technical support to reduce HFC consumption in line with international commitments.

Angela Armstrong, WB’s Programme Manager for the Montreal Protocol Implementation, said Việt Nam had made great efforts to stop using ozone-depleting substances under the protocol.

However, she said, to gradually eliminate HFCs, agencies must combine many solutions in using energy efficiency, refrigeration equipment with a low greenhouse effect and setting specific HFC levels to industries.

The official also underlined the need to adopt advanced technologies and policy interventions to ensure the country’s compliance with the roadmap.

In January 1994, Việt Nam became one of the first countries to ratify the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

Việt Nam has eliminated the consumption of CFC, Halon, and CTC since January 1, 2010, and completely stopped using HCFC-141b and Methyl Bromide since January 1, 2015, in line with the roadmap set in the protocol.

As a result, the country fulfilled its obligation to eliminate 10 per cent of the HCFC consumption. This rate is raised to 35 per cent in 2020-2025.