- Kigali Amendment
The Kigali Amendment is a legally binding international agreement that was adopted on October 15, 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda. It serves as a major update to the Montreal Protocol, expanding its scope beyond just ozone protection to include the mitigation of climate change.
While the original Montreal Protocol focused on phasing out Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS) like CFCs and Halons, the Kigali Amendment focuses on the phase-down of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
As the world successfully phased out ozone-depleting gases, industries switched to HFCs. While HFCs are safe for the ozone layer (ODP of 0), they are extremely potent synthetic greenhouse gases. Many HFCs have a heat-trapping effect thousands of times greater than Carbon Dioxide CO2.
The Kigali Amendment was designed to prevent up to 0.5°C of global warming by the end of the century by reducing HFC consumption.
Key Provisions
- Mandatory Phase-Down: Unlike a "phase-out" (which is a total ban), the Kigali Amendment mandates a "phase-down," where countries gradually reduce their production and use of HFCs by 80–85% by the late 2040s.
- Tiered Schedule: Countries are divided into three groups with different timelines:
- Developed Countries: Started their phase-down in 2019.
- Developing Countries (Group 1): Will freeze HFC consumption in 2024.
- Developing Countries (Group 2): (Including India and Gulf states) Will freeze consumption in 2028.
Even though HFCs don't harm the ozone layer, the Kigali Amendment has made them more expensive and harder to source as production quotas tighten.