The White House this week stepped back from a proposal to shift regulation of hydrofluorocarbons from the United Nations climate convention into the Montreal Protocol, which has been successful in phasing down chemicals that damage the ozone layer (NYT’s dot.earth, Reuters).

HFCs are commonly used in things like refrigerants and were first deployed for their ozone benefits. They are also powerful greenhouse gases and were as a consequence included in the climate convention. Now the Montreal crowd is arguing that they can clean up their own mess, saving everybody money and time.

The proposal is part of a broader fast-action climate agenda being promoted by groups like the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development in Washington. We first covered the Montreal Protocol piece in depth back in January, but this week marked the deadline for amendments that can be considered under the Montreal Protocol this year.

Clearly it would have been significant if the United States had decided to sponsor an amendment, but the proposal will remain on the table courtesy of a separate filing by Mauritius and the Federated States of Micronesia. Indeed, US State Department notes as much and says it plans to continue studying the issue in a letter to the Ozone Secretariat.

Montreal negotiators will discuss the issue during a workshop in July, but the soonest a decision could be made would be at the annual conference in November.