The need for this amendment is the result of the 1987 Montreal Protocol process, which controls ozone-depleting substances. With the use of HFCs as an alternative to ozone-depleting substances in refrigerators, their role in warming the atmosphere has become a major problem. In 2016, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol adopted the Agreement on HFCs following the 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP 28) in Kigali, Rwanda. Governments have agreed that it will enter into force on 1 January 2019, provided that at least 20 parties to the Montreal Protocol have ratified it. On 17 November 2017, Sweden and Trinidad and Tobago deposited their instruments of ratification, which allowed the number of parties to exceed the required threshold. As part of the amendment, all countries will gradually reduce HFCs by more than 80% over the next 30 years and replace them with more environmentally friendly alternatives. A certain group of industrialized countries will begin the phase-down in 2019. Several developing countries will freeze HFC consumption in 2024, followed by other countries in 2028. The timing of the top-down phase is detailed here.
The amendment also includes agreements on HFC destruction technologies, data reporting obligations and provisions on capacity building for developing countries. [UNEP press release] The Kigali Amendment is a legally binding international agreement[2] that aims to create rights and obligations under international law. The amendment shall be legally binding on a Contracting Party only if it has entered into force for that Party. In this article, we explain the importance of the Kigali agreement and its relevance for India. The final deal divided the world`s economies into three groups, each with an exit deadline. The richest countries, including the United States and the European Union, will reduce the production and consumption of HFCs from 2019. . .