Approximately one year after the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a couple of additional measures to advance this initiative. These steps are undertaken as part of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM).
As reported, the Kigali Amendment is an international agreement that aims to reduce the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 80-85 percent by 2047. It is also projected to avoid up to .5 °C of global warming come 2100 by implementing this reduction.
HFCs, commonly used in air conditioning and refrigeration, are potent greenhouse gasses. Despite making up only a small fraction of total greenhouse gasses, they have a climate warming impact that is several times more potent than carbon dioxide. The international community under the Montreal Protocol, including the United States, recognized this threat and made efforts to phase down production and consumption of these gasses potentially averting significant tolerance of global warming.
By stepping up the measures under AIM, the EPA is working consistently to ensure compliance with the required phase-down in production and consumption of HFCs. As part of these measures, the EPA is now implementing certification, reporting, labeling, and disposal requirements that companies will need to adhere to as the phase-down continues. This follows the recent trend of governments worldwide to become more proactive in their approach to battle climate change.
The long-term impacts of these actions are yet to be seen. However, with the science backing the critical role of HFCs in global warming, actions such as those undertaken by the EPA under the Kigali amendment could represent significant steps towards meeting international climate goals.