minirena-Press Release: Historic amendment to the Montreal Protocol adopted in Kigali, giving renewed hope in fight against climate change, Kigali Wranda

 

 

An ambitious amendment to the Montreal Protocol has passed at the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol in Rwanda. The Kigali Amendment is the most significant climate mitigation step the world has taken since the ratification of the Paris Agreement.



The historic deal gives hope that the international community can address climate change, limit the rise in temperatures and avoid the worst impacts of a warming planet.



The amendment mandates the phase out of chemical substances known as hydrofluorocarbons – greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning that are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide. By implementing the Kigali Amendment, the world can avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by the end of the century as well as the equivalent of 100 to 200 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in the near-term to 2050.



Delivering his address after the adoption of the amendment, Rwanda’s Minister of Natural Resources and President of the 28th Meeting of the Parties, Vincent Biruta, said:

“Passing the Kigali Amendment is truly a success. It shows the world that meaningful action on climate change is possible and that we stand a real chance of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius. We have made history today and we should all be very proud.”



Minister Biruta also congratulated delegates for their historic achievement.

“Your commitment to a prosperous future and your willingness to come to the table in the spirit of collaboration is not only the hallmark of the Montreal Protocol, but also the best of humanity,” he said.



The Kigali Amendment is the result of seven years of negotiation. Under the amendment, developed countries will start to phase down HFCs by 2019 while developing countries will freeze their levels of consumption in 2024, with some starting the freeze in 2028.



“Last year in Paris, we promised to keep the world safe from the worst effects of climate change. Today, we are following through on that promise,” said Erik Solheim, UN Environment Executive Director.



The amendment comes just weeks before the 22nd Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 22) in Marrakesh. The adoption of the Kigali Amendment builds momentum for even greater success in Morocco.



Under the Kigali Amendment, Rwanda will set its baseline as early as January 2017 and aims to beat the targets set – just as it did for the original Montreal Protocol when the country achieved zero use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) ozone-depleting substances by 2010, a year before the deadline. This is a demonstration of Rwanda’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental protection.
 

 

About the Montreal Protocol

Adopted in 1987, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is the most successful UN environmental agreement in history. Ratified by 197 parties, it has led to a 98 per cent decrease in the production and use of ozone-damaging chemicals, helping the ozone layer to start recovering, saving an estimated two million people each year by 2030 from skin cancer and contributing to mitigating climate change.


 

Resources

  • Watch the Closing Ceremony of the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol here.
  • Find attached Minister Biruta’s full closing address and photos from the adoption of the amendment.
  • View and download more photos from the Ministry Flickr account here (Credit: Ministry of Natural Resources, Rwanda).
  • Read the Kigali Amendment here and here.

 

Media Enquiries

  • Josee Umubyeyi, Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Natural Resources, on +250 788 455 198 or at jumubyeyi@minirena.gov.rw.
  • Clarisse Kawera, Communications & Public Relations Officer, Rwanda Environment Management Authority, on +250 788 273 000 or at ckawera@rema.gov.rw

 

Go back

CBFP News

WWF: Rainforest deforestation more than doubled under cover of coronavirus -DW

Tropical rainforests shrank by 6,500 square kilometers in March — an area seven times the size of Berlin. Criminal groups are taking advantage of the pandemic and the unemployed are getting desperate, the WWF said.

Read more …

Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park Monthly update April 2020

"At a time when many countries are beginning their gradual deconfinement and when there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon of returning to normal life, I wanted to share with you some good news that also fills us with hope for the future of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park."

Read more …

Resources and follow-up from the virtual FAO-EcoAgriculture Partners Roundtable

Last April 30th FAO and EcoAgriculture Partners organized a virtual Roundtable on Territorial Perspectives for Development, in which over 170 people participated.

Read more …

ATIBT -CBFP: Private Sector mobilized around the CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany

ATIBT co-facilitated the mobilization of the private sector of the timber sector to participate in the first meeting of the private sector college of Congo Basin Forest Partnership with the new facilitator Dr Christian Ruck and his team German Facilitation.

Read more …

Development and institutionalization of a PAFC certification system for the Congo basin: opening of the second public consultation on Sustainable Forest Management Certification Standard, 23 May 2020 - 22 June 2020

This second public consultation will be open for a period of 30 days from tomorrow Saturday the 23rd of May 2020 and will be closed on Monday the 22nd of June 2020. The public consultation is open to all stakeholders of forest management in the Congo Basin interested in participating to the PAFC Congo Basin certification standards development process.

Read more …

Forest defenders on the COVID-19 frontline stand ready to assist the global EU response – Fern

These efforts go hand in hand with ensuring continued responsible management of natural resources and preventing unsustainably and illegally sourced forest commodities. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, forest-monitoring organisations Observatoire de la Gouvernance Forestière (OGF) and Réseau des observateurs indépendants des ressources naturelles (RENOI) are set to carry out COVID awareness-raising in at-risk forest areas, and will also assess COVID’s impact on forest management and governance commitments under the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). Across the Congo Basin, fears that a proper lack of oversight may put forests and forest peoples in danger are looming despite emerging initiatives.

Read more …

22 May 2020 International Day for Biological Diversity

The theme of the 2020 International Day for Biological Diversity is “Our Solutions are in Nature”. It shows that "Biodiversity remains the answer to a number of sustainable development challenges that we all face. From nature-based solutions to climate, to food and water security, and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity remains the basis for a sustainable future."

Read more …

CBFP News Archive

2024

There are no news items for this period.