Ministers and international partners from industry, civil society and philanthropy met in Rwanda on November 9, 2026, to accelerate implementation of the Kigali Amendment. The discussions took place during the 38th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP38) and focused on financing, international cooperation and access to energy-efficient cooling technologies.
Participants highlighted 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. Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, Dr Bernadette Arakwiye, identified four priorities: universal ratification, faster implementation, resource mobilisation and stronger industry leadership.
Financing and technical capacity were central to the discussions. Tina Birmpili, Chief Officer of the Multilateral Fund Secretariat, reported that 141 countries had received support to prepare for and begin implementing the Amendment. Participants also called for greater investment in research and development, cooperation between industry and academic institutions, and improved access to affordable cooling technologies in developing countries.
Lifecycle refrigerant management was identified as another area for international cooperation. Proposed measures 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.
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, aimed to strengthen implementation through international partnerships. At the time of the meeting, 176 of the 198 Parties to the Montreal Protocol had ratified the Amendment. “The full climate and development benefits of the Amendment will only be realised through effective implementation. The next decade must therefore be a decade of delivery,” said Dr Bernadette Arakwiye, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment.
