Air Conditioning's Impact on Climate

Summary of Air Conditioning Usage and Environmental Impact

Key Findings:

• Survey Overview: Conducted by iFOREST, surveying 3,100 respondents across seven metro cities in India.
• Cities Included: Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jaipur.
• Chennai's Findings:
  • Highest AC usage; units operated for an average of 4.4 hours/day.
  • Nearly 23% of households own more than two ACs (double the national average).
  • Over 50% of residential AC units in Chennai require annual refrigerant refilling (national average: 41%).
  • Refrigerant refill cost: Average ₹2,300 per household, highest in India.

Environmental Impact:

• Many households lack awareness of climate-friendly refrigerants; 64% unaware, only 16% would switch to greener options if affordable.
• HFC-32 refrigerant has a global warming potential 675 times higher than CO₂.
• Refrigerant leakage contributed to 52 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions in 2024, comparable to millions of cars.

Operational Failures:

• High incidences of unnecessary refrigerant refilling due to technician errors and lack of training; 73% of servicing complaints in Chennai.
• Poor servicing standards noted, often leading to refrigerants being vented directly into the atmosphere without capture equipment.

Regulatory Framework:

• India Cooling Action Plan aims for a 25%-30% reduction in refrigerant demand by 2037-38 but lacks enforceable regulations.
• Weak implementation of 2023 E-Waste Rules, which should require refrigerant recovery from discarded ACs.

Recommendations:

• Adoption of a Lifecycle Refrigerant Management (LRM) framework to include:
  • Mandatory recovery and recycling of refrigerants.
  • Technician training for proper servicing.
  • Extended Producer Responsibility for AC manufacturers.

These findings indicate a significant environmental challenge stemming from current air conditioning practices in urban India, highlighting the need for improved awareness, training, and regulatory enforcement.