Under a decision from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam’s import quota for Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), substances that cause ozone depletion,  will be sharply reduced to 1,300 tons, equivalent to half of the 2024 quota.

All of the imported substances are HCFC-22 , which is commonly used in the production of household air conditioners, refrigeration, foam manufacturing, and in servicing and maintenance of refrigeration equipment.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment was quoted by the Government News as noting  that this year marks the first year of implementing the roadmap to reduce HCFC imports under the national plan on the management and elimination of ozone-depleting substances.

Specifically, during the period from 2025 to 2029, the HCFC import quota will be maintained at 1,300 tons per year (a 67.5 per cent reduction compared to the baseline consumption).

From 2030, the average annual import quota will be reduced to 100 tons (a 97.5 per cent reduction). Vietnam will not import other HCFCs from 2040.

For HFCs (refrigerants with high global warming potential), import quotas will also gradually decrease according to the set roadmap. By 2045, Vietnam will only import an amount equivalent to emissions of 2.7 million tons of CO2 (an 80 per cent reduction compared to the baseline consumption).

By 2045, Vietnam expects to reduce emissions by more than 11 million tons of CO2 through the management and phase-out of ozone-depleting substances and controlled greenhouse gases, contributing to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 as pledged at COP26.