MOP38 in Rwanda Sets Priorities for HFC Phase-Down and Refrigerant Lifecycle Management

At the 38th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP38) held in Rwanda on November 9, 2026, ministers, industry representatives, civil society and philanthropy partners convened to accelerate implementation of the Kigali Amendment. At the time of the meeting, 176 of the 198 Parties to the Montreal Protocol had ratified the Amendment.

Participants noted that phasing down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Kigali Amendment could prevent up to 0.5 °C of global warming by 2100. Combined with improvements in cooling energy efficiency, the potential climate benefits could reach approximately 1 °C.

Financing and technical capacity

Tina Birmpili, Chief Officer of the Multilateral Fund Secretariat, reported that 141 countries had received support to prepare for and begin implementing the Amendment. The discussions called for greater investment in research and development, cooperation between industry and academic institutions, and improved access to affordable cooling technologies in developing countries.

Dr Bernadette Arakwiye, Rwanda's Minister of Environment, identified four priorities for the coming period: universal ratification, faster implementation, resource mobilisation and stronger industry leadership. She stated that the full climate and development benefits of the Amendment would only be realised through effective implementation, and that the next decade must be a decade of delivery.

Lifecycle refrigerant management

Proposed measures for international cooperation included refrigerant leak prevention, restrictions on disposable cylinders, and increased funding for refrigerant recovery, reclamation and destruction. Participants also discussed information sharing and potential approaches under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement relating to HFCs.

Friends of the Kigali Amendment

The renewed Friends of the Kigali Amendment initiative, launched in September 2026 and led by Rwanda with support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, aims to strengthen implementation through international partnerships.