Emissions of ozone-depleting halocarbons from China (good news and bad news)

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http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2009/2009GL038659.shtml

Emissions of ozone-depleting halocarbons from China

M. K. Vollmer
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Air Pollution and Environmental Technology, Dubendorf, Switzerland

L. X. Zhou
Centre for Atmosphere Watch and Services, Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China

B. R. Greally
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

S. Henne
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Air Pollution and Environmental Technology, Dubendorf, Switzerland

B. Yao
Centre for Atmosphere Watch and Services, Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China

S. Reimann
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Air Pollution and Environmental Technology, Dubendorf, Switzerland

F. Stordal
Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

D. M. Cunnold
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

X. C. Zhang
Centre for Atmosphere Watch and Services, Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China

M. Maione
Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy

F. Zhang
Centre for Atmosphere Watch and Services, Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China

J. Huang
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

P. G. Simmonds
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

National emission inventories of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) play a key role in the control mechanisms of the Montreal Protocol's emission reduction plans. New quasi-continuous ground-based atmospheric measurements allow us to estimate China's current emissions of the most effective ODS. This serves as an independent validation of China's ODS consumption data reported to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Emissions of most first-generation ODS have declined in recent years, suggesting compliance with the regulations of China's advanced phase-out program. In contrast the emissions of some second-generation ODS have increased. Because China is currently one of the largest consumers of first generation ODS, the country's upcoming complete phase-out will be crucial for the rate of decline of atmospheric ODS hence the eventual recovery of the stratospheric ozone.

Received 15 April 2009; accepted 1 July 2009; published 13 August 2009.

Citation: Vollmer, M. K., et al. (2009), Emissions of ozone-depleting halocarbons from China, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L15823, doi:10.1029/2009GL038659.