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Policy
MOP29, in Montreal, Canada
MOP29: Making Progress on Kigali – By Marie Battesti
T
he primary goal of MOP29 – the 29th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, held November 20-24 in Montreal – was to make progress on adopting concrete measures for the implementation of the Kigali Amendent’s phase-down of HFCs.
The delegates’ most pressing task was to successfully conclude the MLF replenishment negotiations for the triennium 2018-2020, adopting a budget of $540 million.
Energy-efficiency
The need to update safety standards impeding the uptake of flammable refrigerants such as hydrocarbons was addressed by a number of countries throughout the week.
One of those measures was energy efficiency. Integrating energy efficiency into the requirements of the Kigali Amendment is relatively new to the MOP agenda. But, according to experts at the meeting, improving energy efficiency while phasing down HFCs could double the climate change mitigation benefits of the HFC phase-down, reducing temperatures by 1.0°C by 2100. Countries requested the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP), an advisory body to the Montreal Protocol Parties, to assess technology options, requirements and related costs to maintain or enhance energy efficiency while phasing down HFCs under the Kigali Amendment. TEAP will make its recommendations in a report to be presented at the next Meeting of the Parties, in Ecuador in approximately a year.
Multilateral Fund One key decision was to determine how much money will be allocated to replenishing the Multilateral Fund (MLF), which supports developing countries in achieving the HCFC phase-out and the HFC phase-down required under the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment.
HC standards
The Parties requested the Ozone Secretariat to hold regular consultations with relevant standardization organizations to gain an overview of the relevant safety standards governing flammable low-GWP refrigerants. The overview will include information on the scope of standards (activities, appliances or products covered), content (safety-relevant technical aspects) and information on the review process. In a new report, "Smarter Standards: Vital for Kigali Amendment Success," the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) provides an update on the status of national and international safety standards for hydrocarbon refrigerants, and explains the role that revised standards will play in the implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol “In their current state, many standards severely restrict the use of hydrocarbons, which are among the most energy efficient low-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants,” wrote Christina Starr, EIA climate policy analyst, in a blog post. MB
Accelerate America
Nov - Dec 2017