In air conditioners, industrial chemicals known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are powerful refrigerants that help keep humans cool. In the atmosphere, however, they have the opposite effect, trapping the sun’s heat more efficiently than almost any other greenhouse gas.
Now, after years of wrangling, the world’s nations may finally be moving toward setting global limits on the chemicals because of their potential role as a cause of global warming. A round of technical discussions in Bangkok ended Friday with the approval of a work plan that could lead to a global agreement on HFCs, currently among the most commonly used chemical coolants used in air conditioners and refrigerators, before the year’s end.
Diplomats signaled progress toward an international accord after India — long an opponent to a ban on HFCs — reversed course late last week and offered a plan to gradually phase out global production of the chemicals. That step led in turn to an agreement to move forward to formal negotiations in July, with the intention of drafting a final agreement in November, according to officials present at the talks.
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