Treaty to Phase Out ‘Greenhouse Gasses on Steroids’ to Enter Force
Known as the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, it required 20 countries to ratify it in order to go into effect — just
in time for a global meeting on a broader treaty designed to protect the ozone layer, which starts next week in Montreal.
“Now the question is, will the U. S. ratify the amendment so American chemical companies can gain full access to
new global markets for replacement chemicals,” said Paul Bledsoe, a former Clinton White House climate adviser
“That’s a powerful signal to the market that they better continue to adjust their investment decisions
and their production to meet the standards under this amendment,” said Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, an advocacy group in Washington.
The United States is one of the world’s biggest makers of HFCs,
and if it fails to ratify the agreement, it could potentially hinder the ability of American companies to sell coolants to other countries that have ratified the agreement.
