Investigating HALocarbon impacts on the global Environment (InHALE)

Since the Kigali Amendment took effect in 2019, the Montreal Protocol has entered a new phase, regulating the production and use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in many major economies. This development adds to the Protocol’s success in safeguarding the ozone layer and benefits climate stability. However, recent scientific findings reveal new issues: unexpected discovery of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) thought to be phased out, a rise in unregulated ozone-depleting compounds, and potential risks from halocarbon degradation products.

The project aims to address the most urgent scientific questions surrounding these challenges. It will significantly expand atmospheric measurement coverage to better understand the global distribution of halocarbon emissions and identify previously unknown atmospheric trends. By combining industry models with atmospheric data, the project seeks to improve the understanding of the relationship between production, “banks” of halocarbons stored in buildings and products, and emissions to the atmosphere. Furthermore, the project will determine recent and likely future trends of unregulated, short-lived halocarbons and their implications for the recovery timescale of the ozone layer. It will also explore the complex atmospheric chemistry of the newest generation of halocarbons and assess whether their breakdown products could contribute to climate change or lead to unforeseen negative environmental consequences.

The work will be conducted by a consortium of leaders in halocarbon research, who have a proven track record of contributing to Montreal Protocol bodies and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This collaboration ensures that the new developments arising from this project will have a lasting impact on global environmental policy and protection efforts.