ADDING HFCS TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: ITALY IN FAVOR BUT

UNCLAS ROME 001188 SIPDIS OES/ENV - H. FINMAN AND J. THOMPSON EUR/ERA - M. BEH EUR/PCI - S. PARKER-BURNS EUR/WE - S. HARTMANN CAIRO FOR MONTREAL PROTOCOL USDEL EPA FOR A. PHILLIPS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV AORC KGHG IT SUBJECT: ADDING HFCS TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: ITALY IN FAVOR BUT REQUESTS A LATER PHASEDOWN START REF: STATE 95899 ¶1. Summary. Italy supports including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the Montreal Protocol, as proposed by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, but believes that the phasedown dates in the North American proposal are too soon. Italy would like the Montreal Protocol Technical and Economic Assessment Panel to study the issue more deeply first. The Italian Government (GOI) also will seek assurances that HFC-23 greenhouse-gas-emissions projects that it has with China will be able to keep earning emissions-reduction credits until the end of their established credit period, if HFC-23 is moved from the Kyoto Protocol to the Montreal Protocol. End summary. ¶2. On September 16, SCICouns delivered reftel proposal to MFA Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Director Giovanna Piccarreta, who confirmed that the Environment Ministry would have the lead for the GOI on the issue. On September 29, Post delivered reftel proposal to Ms. Giuliana Gasparrini of the Environment Ministry (MOE) Directorate General for Environmental Research and Development. Gasparrini heads Division V, which deals with European Union and United Nations conventions including the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. On October 22, Mr. Alessandro Peru of Gasparrini's staff provided SCI Specialist with the GOI's response to the North American proposal. ¶3. According to the MOE's Peru, the GOI's position is in favor of the North American proposal to include HFCs in the Montreal Protocol. However, the GOI believes precise information is missing in several areas and that the Montreal Protocol Technical and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) should carry out studies first on - inter alia - total world HFC production, environmental impacts, and phasedown costs. For that reason, Italy will recommend a later phasedown start date. Peru added that Italy is surprised that the proposal also includes hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs),which he said have in many cases lower Global Warming Potential than natural gases. Moreover, he added, since HFOs have been considered good substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), the industrial sector will not be pleased with that change. ¶4. Peru raised the GOI's most important concern: that the proposal recommends moving from the Kyoto Protocol to the Montreal Protocol HFC-23, an HCFC-manufacturing byproduct. Since the GOI has many Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects with China on HFC-23 collection and decomposition, it wants to be assured that it will be allowed to keep carrying them out - and keep receiving emissions credits for them - until the end of their established emissions credit period. ¶5. Italy will be represented at the Montreal Protocol Meeting of the Parties (MoP) in Port Ghalib, Egypt in early November by four MOE officials: Federica Fricano, Alessandro Peru, Paola Colla and Mauro Mennuni. Fricano, an expert in the office of MOE Director General for Environmental Research and Development Corrado Clini, will serve as head of delegation; Colla and Mennuni, like Peru, work for Giuliana Gasparrini. MOE U/S Roberto Menia is also scheduled to go to the MoP, but his participation now seems unlikely. Post is arranging a meeting for State/OES/ENV Director Gumbiner with Ms. Fricano and Mr. Peru on October 30 in Rome, following the October 26-29 Meeting of the Consultative Group on International Environmental Governance. Ms. Fricano has headed Italian delegations to other Montreal Protocol meetings in the past, and is a good contact of Post's Science Office on climate and other environmental issues. She speaks English. THORNE