Lisa Friedman reports on federal climate and environmental policy from Washington. She has broken multiple stories about the Trump administration’s efforts to repeal climate change regulations and limit the use of science in policymaking. More about Lisa Friedman Contact online >>
Lisa Friedman reports on federal climate and environmental policy from Washington. She has broken multiple stories about the Trump administration’s efforts to repeal climate change regulations and limit the use of science in policymaking. More about Lisa Friedman
Coral Davenport covers energy and environmental policy for the climate desk from Washington. She was part of a Times team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished public service journalism in 2020, and part of a Times team that received Columbia University’s John B. Oakes award for distinguished environmental journalism in 2018. More about Coral Davenport
Nairobi, December 2016- For many people across the world, the 15thof October, 2016 was just another normal day going about their usual business to accomplish their to-do lists for the day. Perhaps unknown to many outside the world of ''environment'' and all its jargon, something extremely significant was happening in Africa, in the beautiful Rwanda. Delegates from all over the world had convened in the capital, Kigali from October 10-15, for the 28thMeeting of the Parties to theMontreal Protocol.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was designed to reduce the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances in order to reduce their abundance in the atmosphere, and thereby protect the earth''s fragile ozone Layer. The protocol was agreed on September 16thin 1987 and entered into force on January 1stin 1989.
A unique feature of the protocol is an adjustment provision that enables the Parties to the Protocol to respond quickly to new scientific information, in a bid to accelerate the reductions required on chemicals already covered by the Protocol. These adjustments are then automatically applicable to all countries that ratified the Protocol. Developing countries are given more time to comply with the phase out decisions, and also they receive funding from theMultilateral Fundto facilitate compliance with the Protocol''s provisions.
The 2015 Africa Adaptation Gap Report observes that for abelow 20C global warming scenariothe agriculture sector will be hit by up to 40% yield declines, and result in a 25 – 90% increase in incidences of undernourishment putting 50% of Africa''s population under risk of undernourishment, not to mention massive economic losses given that the sector employs up to64 per cent laborand contributes up to34 per centto GDP on average.
"Africa is a continent that is deeply vulnerable to climate change. We are witnessing disastrous droughts — our people are losing lives. We need to address climate change if we are to address poverty," said Vincent Biruta, Rwanda''s Minister of Natural Resources.
Environmental experts note that the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer could be the single largest real contribution the world has made so far towards keeping the global temperature rise "well below" 2 degrees Celsius, a target agreed at the Paris climate conference last year; this amendment is a huge step forward to achieving that target.
The talks in Kigali may not have attracted as much attention as the Paris event last year, but the outcome from the meeting is expected to have even greater impact on Parties'' efforts to slow down climate change.
The new deal includes specific targets and timetables to replace HFCs with more planet-friendly alternatives, provisions to prohibit or restrict countries that have ratified the protocol or its amendments from trading in controlled substances with states that are yet to ratify it, and an agreement by rich countries to help finance the transition of poor countries to alternative safer products. Notably, African countries opted to phase down the chemicals faster than required, citing the grave threats the region faces due to climate change.
Top officials from the chemical industry, including producers of the chemicals, manufacturers of equipment that use HFCs were also in Kigali; a demonstration that companies throughout the HFCs supply chain support strong global action on these harmful substances.
The final deal divided the world economies into three groups, each with a target phasedown date. The richest countries, including the United States and those in the European Union, will reduce the production and consumption of HFCs from 2019. Much of the rest of the world, including China, Brazil and all of Africa, will freeze the use of HFCs by 2024. A small group of the world''s hottest countries such as Bahrain, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have the most lenient schedule and will freeze HFCs use by 2028.
As pressure mounts on governments worldwide for less talk and more action to address climate change, the Kigali Amendment is indeed, a commendable move that adds momentum to a series of new global climate change agreements, including the Paris agreement which will officially enter into force next month on 4 November, 2016.
More than 700 leading climate scientists have signed a declaration calling for much more urgent action against climate change, more investment in climate adaptation and greater leverage of science for a more sustainable future for all.
"Because of human-induced climate change and other human impacts on the environment, the world is in a state of polycrises leading to cascading systemic risk and increasing inequality, with failure to limit global warming being one of the greatest threats to humanity," it states.
The Kigali Declaration: Climate science for a sustainable future for all was issued as the official outcome of the World Climate Research Progamme''s Open Science conference held in the Rwandan capital in October 2023. The five-day event brought together more than 1400 participants who discussed the current state and further evolution of climate science and the actions urgently needed to mitigate against and adapt to climate change.
The declaration calls on the international community to act with greater urgency to address climate change. Specifically, it calls for decision-makers to uphold commitments to a fair and accelerated process of phasing out fossil fuel energy systems; and to improve climate knowledge and develop climate decision support systems at both global and regional levels.
It calls upon the climate science community to accelerate and amplify the relevance, impact and benefit of its research for science and society, enabling transformative actions.
It calls upon agencies, governments, and the private sector to substantially increase their multilateral, accessible and equitable investment in the development of actionable climate information, and the implementation of climate adaptation options and loss and damage assessments founded on climate science.
The Kigali Declaration was signed by 734 conference participants. It was drafted by co-chairs Detlef Stammer and Helen Cleugh and other leading scientists, including WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
Nairobi, 14 July 2020 - The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement to cut the use of climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), has reached a major milestone, with Liberia becoming the 100th nation to ratify the Amendment, providing a welcome boost to global climate action.
The Amendment targets a massive reduction in the use of HFCs, which became widely-used refrigerant substitutes for ozone-depleting substances that have been phased out under the Montreal Protocol. HFCs are climate-warming gases with significant global warming potential.
"As we deal with the impacts of the global pandemic, it is crucial not to forget climate action," said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. "Climate change could cause even more misery and disruption than COVID-19; we must be resolute in our efforts to limit it.
"The Kigali Amendment reaching 100 ratifications is therefore great news. The Amendment is a powerful tool for keeping our planet cool. I thank those states which have ratified it and encourage the 98 others to follow suit and help to ensure a safer future for all of humanity."
The 2016 Kigali Amendment requires a phasedown of high global warming potential HFCs by more than 80 per cent (in CO2-equivalent) over the next 30 years. Estimates suggest that emissions avoided by 2100 could reach 5.6 to 8.7 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent per year. In total, it would be over ten years'' worth of current annual emissions of CO2 due to human activities. This will avoid up to 0.4°C of global warming by the end of the century.
Replacing HFCs also creates an opportunity to increase the energy efficiency of cooling equipment by 10–50 per cent, significantly reducing energy costs to consumers and businesses.
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