PartagerScience-based climate action for sustainable refrigeration: the IIR celebrates 10 years of Kigali Amendment
Full implementation of the Kigali Amendment is expected to reduce HFC consumption by more than 80% and help avoid up to 0.4°C of warming by 2100. The IIR is committed to providing evidence-based scientific insights that enable Parties to effectively fulfil their commitments under the Kigali Amendment.
The environmental impact of the refrigeration sector
Refrigeration is critical in the economic and social development of every country, as the invisible backbone in countless sectors from food to healthcare, industry, information communication technology (ICT), and energy. Nevertheless, with an estimated 5.4 billion pieces of refrigerating equipment in operation worldwide, the refrigeration sector also has a significant environmental impact [1].
The IIR has estimated that the refrigeration sector accounts for about 7.5% of global CO2 emissions [1]. Around 30% of refrigeration’s global-warming impact is due to direct emissions from the leakage of fluorinated refrigerants into the atmosphere (CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs).
The positive impact of the Kigali Amendment
Adopted in 2016, the implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol has been instrumental in driving the global phase-down of HFCs and consequently reduce direct GHG emissions. This global framework has accelerated the transition towards climate-friendly refrigerants, stimulated innovation in refrigeration technologies, and strengthened national regulatory and technical capacities [2].
Currently ratified by 175 countries, full implementation of the Kigali Amendment is expected to reduce HFC consumption by more than 80% and could avoid up to 0.4°C of global warming by 2100 [3], while supporting wider access to sustainable refrigeration worldwide.
IIR’s historical contribution to environmental collaboration
The achievement set by a decade of the Kigali Amendment builds on the success of the Montreal Protocol, adopted in 1987, whose implementation has resulted in eliminating nearly 99% of ozone-depleting substances globally, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) used in refrigeration systems.
The IIR has contributed to this global environmental collaboration, as part of the scientific community delivering evidence-based insights to support informed decision-making.
Indeed, as early as 1988, IIR commission members, Dr Haukas from Norway, Prof. Kruse from Germany and Dr Kuijpers from the Netherlands presented to the Montreal Parties climate-friendly alternatives to limit CFC consumption in refrigeration at a Montreal Parties meeting held in The Hague, Netherlands [4, 5].
In 2015 and 2016, IIR member Dr Kuijpers, together with Dr. Maranion of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), served as co-chair of the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) working group which provided input on regional refrigerant consumption levels, preliminary scenarios, and climate benefits, in preparation of the negotiations that would lead to the Kigali Amendment [6].
To this day, experts from the IIR continue to actively contribute to drafting and reviewing of the UNEP Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, and Heat Pumps Technical Options Committee (RTOC) Assessment Reports, which provide scientific and technical guidance to help parties meet their commitments under the Kigali Amendment.
Sources
[1] IIR, 2025. The role of refrigeration in global economy. 3rd edition. 60th Technical Brief on Refrigeration Technologies. International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.18462/iir.TechBrief.04.2025
[3] Xu, Y., Zaelke, D., Velders, G.J.M., Ramanathan, V., 2013. The role of HFCs in mitigating 21st century climate change. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 13, 6083–6089. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-6083-2013
[4] Kruse H., Granryd E., Haukas H., Henatsch A., Hesse U., Kauffeld M., Kuijpers L., Najork H., Kraus G., Rinne F., Teagan P., 1992. Compression Cycles for Environmentally Acceptable Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems. International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), Paris. https://iifiir.org/en/fridoc/compression-cycles-for-environmentally-acceptable-refrigeration-air-4040
[5] Kuijpers, L.J.M., 1990. UNEP assessment of the Montreal protocol: Refrigeration within the framework of the technology review. International Journal of Refrigeration 13, 95–99. https://iifiir.org/en/fridoc/unep-assessment-of-the-montreal-protocol-refrigeration-within-the-133744
[6] Decision Ex.III/1 Working Group Report: On the climate benefits and costs of reducing hydrofluorocarbons under the Dubai pathway. https://ozone.unep.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/TEAP_ExIII-1_Report_Sept-2016.pdf