HFC-23 is an unwanted by-product in the production of HCFC-22, a refrigerant and temporary substitute to CFCs. The HFC-23 has a Global Warming Potential 11’700 times higher than CO2. Its destruction in HCFC-22 plants in developing countries can be registered as a CDM project and leads to the issuance of a large amount of credits. As it is very cheap to install a destruction facility, CDM projects have resulted in huge windfall profits for HCFC-22 plants as well as a perverse incentive to artificially stimulate the production of HCFC-22. As a consequence, HFC-23 destruction projects within the CDM have received much negative attention in the past.
The Swiss non-governmental organization Noe21 submitted a request for revision of the methodology AM0001 for HFC-23 destruction to the Board in December 2007. The revision request aims to address perverse incentives in this methodology. Although the request was submitted 18 months ago and despite several requests by Noe21 and CDM Watch to consider this issue, the Board has so far neglected to act. CDM Watch urges the Board to formally consider this request now as a matter of priority.
Action to be taken by the Board: The Board should ask its Methodological Panel to consider the request and to prepare a recommendation.
