The global community has moved a step closer to a deal on eliminating hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) at a meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Paris last week.
While no formal agreement was reached, the head of climate at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Clare Perry, said there has been a clear shift in attitudes.
"We are not seeing the same knee jerk refusal to discuss HFCs that has held talks up in the past," she said.
"The vast majority of the world's countries, including all the key HFC-producing states, have accepted the need to do something about HFCs.
"This meeting has witnessed the start of a process which will continue next year, with a definitive agreement ahead of the Paris 2015 climate meeting a real possibility."
Australian Refrigeration Association (ARA) policy advisor, Brent Hoare, agreed stating there is a clear determination to renew efforts to achieve an agreement in 2015.
"Reaching agreement to reduce and reverse the rate of growth in use and rapid accumulation in the atmosphere of HFCs is the biggest single step the world can take to mitigate climate change," he said.
"It has been disappointing to see the Gulf countries and Pakistan persist in their obstruction of the progress that the rest of the world agrees is urgently needed."
The good news is that under the Alternatives to Ozone Depleting Substances agenda item, a one day extraordinary Meeting of the Parties and a three day workshop on solutions to the HFC problem will take place in April next year at a venue to be determined.
This will provide an opportunity to resume the discussion on HFCs prior to the July Open Ended Working Group, and keeps alive the prospect of a deal on HFCs at the November 2015 climate talks.
"While the 26th Montreal Protocol Meeting of the Parties will go down in history as a lost opportunity to achieve rapid action on HFCs, the withdrawal of very significant opposition from many parties may yet come to be recognised as a turning point in the long road to rid the world of HFCs," Hoare said.
Co-chair of the Montreal Protocol Meeting and director of Australia's Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Office, Patrick McInerney, has played a key role in managing disagreements between parties.
"He has exercised great skill in helping the parties move together towards constructive outcomes," Hoare said.
"McInerney deserves the praise he has received for being fair and balanced in handling disagreements."