Climate confusion
On the confusion around Montreal Protocol
Call it a case of one hand not knowing what the other is doing.
Last month at the summit of Group of Twenty countries (G-20), India supported the phasing out of a group of chemicals known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) through the Montreal Protocol, a treaty to limit the use of ozone-depleting substances.
Yet a month later, Indian officials have worked to block this initiative. Originally, HFCs were to be dealt with under an umbrella climate agreement. That option was closed because countries are unable to come to an agreement. The Montreal Protocol was the alternative.
This paper has argued that India needs to strategize properly before it signs an agreement that can mar its economic prospects. But this is something else: reneging on a commitment is not a strategy at all. It gives the impression that India is not a reliable partner in addressing an important global problem.
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