Washington, DC – Foreign Policy for America welcomes President Biden’s move to send the Kigali Amendment to the U.S. Senate for ratification. This revision to the 1987 Montreal Protocol provides for a global phase-down on the manufacture and use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), one of the most potent greenhouse gas contributors to climate change.
This is a critical step toward fulfilling the administration’s pledge to join the 129 other countries that have already adopted the Kigali Amendment. It also builds on domestic actions that the EPA has taken to phaseout HFCs in line with the Kigali timeframe.
“The case for ratifying Kigali is clear. Building on all the announcements at COP26, it would signal a commitment to sustained U.S. climate leadership on the international stage,” said Foreign Policy for America Executive Director Andrew Albertson. “Just as important, the U.S. is already developing, producing, and exporting next generation alternatives to this class of climate super-pollutants, proving that economic opportunity and progress in the global fight against climate change can go hand-in-hand.”
The U.S. played a major role in shaping the Kigali Amendment during 2016 negotiations. Since then, the drive to phaseout HFCs has attracted strong bipartisan support, culminating in the passage of the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act as part of broader energy legislation late last year. Foreign Policy for America urges the Senate to move swiftly and ratify the Kigali Amendment, reenforcing a renewed commitment to U.S. climate leadership at home and abroad.
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