ShareInternational milestone agreement on the phase-down of HFC production and consumption in Kigali
The 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP28) to the Montreal Protocol which was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 10 to 14, 2016, led to an international agreement on the phase-down of the production and consumption of HFCs.
The 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP28) to the Montreal Protocol which was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 10 to 14, 2016, led to an international agreement on the phase-down of the production and consumption of HFCs. This is a milestone agreement.
Hence, since 2009, each meeting related to this protocol, initially dedicated to the phase-out of the substances depleting the stratospheric ozone layer, namely CFCs and HCFCs, had been leading to conflicting exchanges on high GGE HFCs which replace CFCs and HCFCs most of the time. One year ago in Dubai, the Meeting of the Parties had eventually allowed for negotiations to begin. Those discussions were tough and three additional meetings were needed (in Bangkok in April 2016, Vienna in July and the Kigali-based meeting) to come to an agreement.
In Kigali, the following decisions were taken:
- the “developed” countries (A2 countries) will have to reduce their production and consumption of HFCs starting on 2019 (-10%) at the latest, until 2036 (-85%); the baseline is the average HFC consumption for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, plus 15% or 25%* of the baseline consumption of HCFCs;
- the “developing countries” (A5 countries) will have to reduce their production and consumption of HFCs starting, for the 1st group**, in 2024 (freeze) and ending in 2045 (-80%); for the 2nd group***, in 2028 (freeze), ending in 2047 (-85%); the baseline is the average HFC consumption for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, plus 65% of the baseline consumption of HCFCs.
This agreement will require adjustments in the coming years: financial help granted by developed countries to developing countries; changes in the phase-down schedule in view of the groups of countries which have allocated themselves additional time to proceed.
However this major step - that we should explicitly welcome - will foster technological development in the different refrigeration areas. The availability as well as the constraints of replacement technologies will be addressed and presented to all countries on a regular basis. We will face other challenges, in particular in relation with the energy issue.
The IIR will help you to understand that relatively complicated decision. The decision will be announced in Marrakech, during the COP22 meeting on climate change in November 2016. The IIR will run a booth and deliver a statement, in order to make a link between the HFC issue and the energy consumption.
The IIR Director General already spoke during a UNEP side event in Kigali on safety issues related to low GWP refrigerants and delivered a statement during the high level segment of the meeting.
* Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
** Group 1: Article 5 parties not part of Group 2
*** Group 2: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, India, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan
Hence, since 2009, each meeting related to this protocol, initially dedicated to the phase-out of the substances depleting the stratospheric ozone layer, namely CFCs and HCFCs, had been leading to conflicting exchanges on high GGE HFCs which replace CFCs and HCFCs most of the time. One year ago in Dubai, the Meeting of the Parties had eventually allowed for negotiations to begin. Those discussions were tough and three additional meetings were needed (in Bangkok in April 2016, Vienna in July and the Kigali-based meeting) to come to an agreement.
In Kigali, the following decisions were taken:
- the “developed” countries (A2 countries) will have to reduce their production and consumption of HFCs starting on 2019 (-10%) at the latest, until 2036 (-85%); the baseline is the average HFC consumption for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, plus 15% or 25%* of the baseline consumption of HCFCs;
- the “developing countries” (A5 countries) will have to reduce their production and consumption of HFCs starting, for the 1st group**, in 2024 (freeze) and ending in 2045 (-80%); for the 2nd group***, in 2028 (freeze), ending in 2047 (-85%); the baseline is the average HFC consumption for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, plus 65% of the baseline consumption of HCFCs.
This agreement will require adjustments in the coming years: financial help granted by developed countries to developing countries; changes in the phase-down schedule in view of the groups of countries which have allocated themselves additional time to proceed.
However this major step - that we should explicitly welcome - will foster technological development in the different refrigeration areas. The availability as well as the constraints of replacement technologies will be addressed and presented to all countries on a regular basis. We will face other challenges, in particular in relation with the energy issue.
The IIR will help you to understand that relatively complicated decision. The decision will be announced in Marrakech, during the COP22 meeting on climate change in November 2016. The IIR will run a booth and deliver a statement, in order to make a link between the HFC issue and the energy consumption.
The IIR Director General already spoke during a UNEP side event in Kigali on safety issues related to low GWP refrigerants and delivered a statement during the high level segment of the meeting.
* Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
** Group 1: Article 5 parties not part of Group 2
*** Group 2: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, India, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan