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The Kigali Accord

A Global Strategy Against Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Climate Change.

What is the Accord? ๐Ÿ‘‡ View Signatories ๐Ÿค

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Introduction

The Kigali Amendment

The Kigali Amendment represents a significant international agreement to systematically reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). As a legally binding international treaty, it establishes specific rights and obligations for participating nations under international law.[3]

Context: The Montreal Protocol

This amendment is an extension of the original Montreal Protocol, established in 1987 to protect and restore the Earth's ozone layer. The Protocol mandated the phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were identified as primary agents of ozone depletion. HFCs, lacking chlorine, were adopted as replacements for CFCs, but their potent greenhouse gas properties necessitated this subsequent amendment to address climate change.[4]

Addressing Climate Impact

While HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer, they are exceptionally potent greenhouse gases. Their atmospheric lifespan is shorter than carbon dioxide (CO2), but their heat-trapping capacity is thousands of times greater. The Kigali Amendment aims to mitigate global warming by phasing down HFC emissions, potentially preventing a significant rise in global temperatures by the end of the century.[13]

Background

HFCs in Industry

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are widely utilized in various industrial applications, most notably as refrigerants in cooling systems and air conditioning units.[8][9]

The Ozone Layer and CFCs

The detrimental impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone layer was scientifically established in the 1970s. This led to the landmark Montreal Protocol in 1987, an international agreement ratified by nearly all UN member states, phasing out CFC production and consumption. HFCs subsequently emerged as a primary substitute.[10][11]

HFCs as Greenhouse Gases

Despite their ozone-friendly nature, HFCs possess significant global warming potential (GWP). Their heat-trapping capability can range from 12 to nearly 15,000 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 100-year period. The widespread adoption of HFCs threatened to undermine climate protection efforts, prompting the need for the Kigali Amendment.[12][13]

Amendment Details

Differentiated Responsibilities

The Kigali Amendment acknowledges varying national circumstances by establishing three distinct groups of countries with tailored HFC reduction schedules, building upon the differentiated approach of the original Montreal Protocol.[16][17]

Phased Reduction Targets

The amendment mandates significant reductions in HFC consumption and production:

  • Group 1 (Developed Nations): Aim for a 45% reduction by 2024 and an 85% reduction by 2036, relative to a 2011-2013 baseline.
  • Group 2 (Developing Nations, including China, India, Brazil): Target an 80% reduction by 2045, based on their respective baselines.
  • Group 3 (Other Nations): A 80% reduction target by 2047.

Specific baseline calculations apply to certain Middle Eastern countries with high air conditioning usage.[19]

Exemption Clause

Parties experiencing prolonged periods of high ambient temperatures (averaging over 35ยฐC for at least two months annually over a decade) may apply for specific exemptions to their reduction commitments.[20]

Global Participation

Ratification Status

As of recent data, a substantial number of nations have formally ratified, accepted, or approved the Kigali Amendment, demonstrating widespread international commitment to its objectives. The European Union's ratification covers its member states, though individual ratification may also occur.

Country Date Type of Agreement
Albania 18 January 2019 Ratification
Andorra 23 January 2019 Acceptance
Angola 16 November 2020 Ratification
Argentina 22 November 2019 Ratification
Armenia 2 May 2019 Acceptance
Australia 27 October 2017 Acceptance
Austria 27 September 2018 Ratification
Bahamas 30 May 2023 Ratification
Bahrain 1 July 2024 Ratification
Bangladesh 8 June 2020 Ratification
Barbados 19 April 2018 Ratification
Belarus 3 November 2022 Ratification
Belgium 4 June 2018 Ratification
Belize 3 October 2023 Approval
Benin 19 March 2018 Ratification
Bhutan 27 September 2019 Ratification
Bolivia 9 October 2020 Ratification
Bosnia and Herzegovina 26 May 2021 Ratification
Botswana 19 September 2020 Acceptance
Brazil 19 October 2022 Acceptance
Bulgaria 1 May 2018 Ratification
Burkina Faso 26 July 2018 Ratification
Burundi 26 March 2021 Ratification
Cambodia 8 April 2021 Acceptance
Cameroon 24 August 2021 Ratification
Canada 3 November 2017 Ratification
Cape Verde 28 October 2020 Ratification
Chad 26 March 2019 Ratification
Chile 19 September 2017 Ratification
China 17 June 2021 Acceptance
Colombia 25 February 2021 Ratification
Comoros 16 November 2017 Ratification
Congo 16 June 2022 Ratification
Cook Islands 22 August 2019 Acceptance
Costa Rica 23 May 2018 Ratification
Croatia 6 December 2018 Ratification
Cuba 20 June 2019 Ratification
Cyprus 22 July 2019 Ratification
Czech Republic 27 September 2018 Acceptance
Denmark 6 December 2018 Approval
Djibouti 8 March 2024 Ratification
Dominican Republic 14 April 2021 Acceptance
Ecuador 22 January 2018 Ratification
Egypt 22 August 2023 Ratification
El Salvador 13 September 2021 Acceptance
Eritrea 7 February 2023 Ratification
Estonia 27 September 2018 Ratification
Eswatini 24 November 2020 Acceptance
Ethiopia 5 July 2019 Ratification
European Union 27 September 2018 Approval
Fiji 16 June 2020 Ratification
Finland 14 November 2017 Acceptance
France 29 March 2018 Approval
Gabon 28 February 2018 Acceptance
Gambia 5 May 2021 Ratification
Georgia 11 July 2023 Acceptance
Germany 14 November 2017 Acceptance
Ghana 2 August 2019 Ratification
Greece 5 October 2018 Ratification
Grenada 29 May 2018 Ratification
Guatemala 11 January 2024 Ratification
Guinea 5 December 2019 Ratification
Guinea-Bissau 22 October 2018 Ratification
Holy See 17 June 2020 Ratification
Honduras 28 January 2019 Ratification
Hungary 14 September 2018 Approval
Iceland 25 January 2021 Acceptance
India 27 September 2021 Ratification
Indonesia 14 December 2022 Ratification
Ireland 12 March 2018 Ratification
Italy 25 May 2022 Ratification
Ivory Coast 29 November 2017 Acceptance
Japan 18 December 2018 Acceptance
Jordan 16 October 2019 Ratification
Kenya 22 September 2023 Acceptance
Kiribati 26 October 2018 Ratification
Kuwait 4 November 2024 Approval
Kyrgyzstan 8 September 2020 Ratification
Laos 16 November 2017 Acceptance
Latvia 17 August 2018 Ratification
Lebanon 5 February 2020 Ratification
Lesotho 7 October 2019 Ratification
Liberia 12 July 2020 Ratification
Liechtenstein 16 September 2020 Ratification
Lithuania 24 July 2018 Ratification
Luxembourg 16 November 2017 Ratification
Malawi 21 November 2017 Ratification
Malaysia 21 October 2020 Ratification
Maldives 13 November 2017 Ratification
Mali 31 March 2017 Acceptance
Marshall Islands 15 May 2017 Ratification
Mauritius 1 October 2019 Ratification
Mexico 25 September 2018 Acceptance
Micronesia 12 May 2017 Ratification
Moldova 22 September 2023 Acceptance
Mongolia 27 July 2022 Ratification
Montenegro 23 April 2019 Ratification
Morocco 22 April 2022 Ratification
Mozambique 16 January 2020 Ratification
Namibia 16 May 2019 Acceptance
Nauru 3 November 2022 Ratification
Nepal 6 August 2025 Ratification
Netherlands 8 February 2018 Acceptance
New Zealand 3 October 2019 Ratification
Nicaragua 30 September 2020 Ratification
Niger 29 August 2018 Ratification
Nigeria 20 December 2018 Ratification
Niue 24 April 2018 Ratification
North Korea 21 September 2017 Ratification
North Macedonia 12 March 2020 Ratification
Norway 6 September 2017 Ratification
Oman 8 November 2024 Ratification
Palau 29 August 2017 Ratification
Panama 28 September 2018 Ratification
Papua New Guinea 12 November 2024 Ratification
Paraguay 1 November 2018 Acceptance
Peru 7 August 2019 Ratification
Philippines 3 November 2022 Ratification
Poland 7 January 2019 Ratification
Portugal 17 July 2018 Approval
Romania 1 July 2020 Acceptance
Russia 3 October 2020 Acceptance
Rwanda 23 May 2017 Ratification
Samoa 23 March 2018 Ratification
San Marino 20 October 2020 Acceptance
Sรฃo Tomรฉ and Prรญncipe 4 October 2019 Ratification
Saudi Arabia 10 September 2025 Acceptance
Senegal 31 August 2018 Ratification
Serbia 8 October 2021 Ratification
Seychelles 20 August 2019 Acceptance
Sierra Leone 15 June 2020 Ratification
Singapore 1 June 2022 Ratification
Slovakia 16 November 2017 Ratification
Slovenia 7 December 2018 Ratification
Solomon Islands 23 May 2022 Ratification
Somalia 27 November 2019 Ratification
South Africa 1 August 2019 Ratification
South Korea 19 January 2023 Ratification
Spain 20 January 2022 Ratification
Sri Lanka 28 September 2018 Ratification
Saint Kitts and Nevis 29 August 2025 Acceptance
Saint Lucia 2 November 2021 Ratification
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7 November 2022 Ratification
Sweden 17 November 2017 Ratification
Switzerland 7 November 2018 Ratification
Syria 5 April 2021 Ratification
Tajikistan 29 June 2022 Ratification
Tanzania 25 March 2022 Ratification
Thailand 3 April 2024 Ratification
Togo 8 March 2018 Acceptance
Tonga 17 September 2018 Ratification
Trinidad and Tobago 17 November 2017 Ratification
Tunisia 27 August 2021 Ratification
Turkey 10 November 2021 Ratification
Turkmenistan 31 August 2020 Ratification
Tuvalu 21 September 2017 Ratification
Uganda 21 June 2018 Ratification
United Arab Emirates 19 April 2024 Acceptance
United Kingdom 14 November 2017 Ratification
United States 31 October 2022 Ratification
Uruguay 12 September 2018 Ratification
Vanuatu 20 April 2018 Ratification
Venezuela 5 December 2022 Ratification
Vietnam 27 September 2019 Approval
Zambia 15 March 2021 Ratification
Zimbabwe 18 October 2022 Acceptance

Notes

High-Ambient-Temperature Exemption

Certain nations are designated for specific exemptions due to consistently high average monthly temperatures, allowing for adjusted HFC reduction timelines. These countries include Algeria, Bahrain, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Cรดte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, and the United Arab Emirates.[a]

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the Kigali Amendment Wikipedia page

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Important Notice

This content has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence model and is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is based on data sourced from Wikipedia and may not reflect the most current information or all nuances of the topic.

This is not professional advice. The information provided does not constitute legal, environmental, or policy consultation. Users should consult official documentation and qualified experts for specific guidance related to international agreements, environmental regulations, or climate policy.

The creators of this page are not liable for any errors, omissions, or actions taken based on the information presented herein.