COPA PARTNER & MEMBER COUNTRIES

 

COPA primarily supports countries from the Global South eligible for Official Development Assistance in creating effective greenhouse gas mitigation through ozone depleting substances (ODS) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) banks management. Partner countries receive access to technical and financial support to establish and further develop a regulatory framework and infrastructure to effectively address the global ODS and HFC banks problem.

Countries are welcome to become members of the alliance and benefit from knowledge exchange and an international network of actors willing to jointly work on the sustainable management of ODS and HFCs. 

In the initial phase, COPA cooperates with China (Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China - Foreign Environmental Cooperation Office), Ghana (Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation - Environmental Protection Agency), Mexico (Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico), Tunisia (Ministry of Environment of Tunisia) and Ecuador (Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries). COPA is working with the five countries to define country-specific commitments, develop project concepts and implement first pilot actions. The results and expertise can then be transferred and multiplied to other countries.

COPA focuses on mitigation actions in metropolitan regions as ODS and HFC waste stocks mostly accumulate in densely populated areas.

 

COPA COUNTRIES


Please select a country:


Albania

Bahamas

Botswana

China

Costa
Rica

Dominican
Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

Eswatini

Ghana

Grenada

Honduras

Lesotho

Malawi

Mexico

Namibia

Nigeria

Papua
New
Guinea

Philippines

Senegal

Sierra
Leone

South
Africa

South
Sudan

The
Gambia

Togo

Tunisia

Zimbabwe


China

China

Member

As the second largest emitter in the world, China is a key player in all relevant climate change issues. With more than 30 years implementation of the Montreal Protocol, China has contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 23 billion tons of CO2-equivalent. After announcing to achieve peak carbon by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, China is increasing its investments and efforts in addressing climate change. China has ratified the Kigali Amendment in 2021 with a target of phasing out 80% of HFCs by 2045. To follow up on the ODS phase-out, China has proposed the use of natural refrigerants as an alternative technology in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector. 

“Globally, China is the largest producer and consumer of room air conditioners (RACs). In 2021, they accounted for 82% of total RAC production.” CLASP, June 2023 

Asia-Pacific, with China leading the way, dominates the refrigerants market due to rapid economic growth, especially in the consumer goods and automotive industries in the region. As the demand for refrigerant-containing products such as air conditioners grows rapidly and with that the number of end-of-life units,ODS and HFC banks in China become an increasing issue. 

In principle, the recovery and disposal of ODS is regulated under the Regulations on the Management of Ozone Depleting Substances and the 2016 Pollution Control Guidelines for the Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) states that "refrigerants for waste equipment should be recovered and classified as CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, hydrocarbons (HC)". However, there is still a lack of sound implementation in China, which requires better regulatory support and more concrete measures to collect, store, destroy or reclaim ODS and HFC banks. 

 Barriers to the sound implementation of ODS and HFC banks management in China include:

  • The total amount of recovered ODS and HFCs are insufficient, since somelarge amounts go into the informal recycling market.Related outreach and supervision need to be strengthened. 
  • Recovery and recycling operation is not standardized, and training needs to be enhanced. 
  • Relevant standards needto be reviewed and updated
  • Market entry for ODS and HFC treatment and disposal companies is difficult and exploration of the future market needs to be strengthened 

Activities

With the support of COPA, China will implement the following activities:

  • Status-quo and gap Analysis of recovery, collection, reclamation and destruction of F-gases (CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, PFCs / CFCs and HFCs) in a selected city, focusing on the household electronics sector (air conditioners and refrigerators) 
  • Feasibility study and recommendations at municipal level on the management of F-Gas banks, including collection, storage and disposal options (destruction and reclamation) 
  • The Solid waste and chemical department China (SCC) will assess the current situation of refrigerant recovery in China's car industry and identifypossible measures to reduce emissions 
  • Development of ODS and HFC banks mitigation projects 

 

UNDP is willing to support the partners to strengthen their systems for the reduction of ODS and HFCs banks emissions.

Xiaofang Zhou, Director at UNDP's Montreal Protocol Unit