Agreed in 2016, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international agreement to gradually reduce the consumption and production of HFCs. To date, 120 countries have ratified the Kigali. 

The US and China joint announcement to also implement Kigali came after meetings between US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and China Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua in Shanghai in April 2021.

 The announcement followed China’s pledge to accept the Kigali Amendment during a virtual summit with the President of France and the Chancellor of Germany. 

At this summit, President Xi mentioned China’s intention to strengthen the control of non-CO2 greenhouse gases, including HFCs that are scheduled for phase-down, under the Kigali Amendment. In late 2020, China also set a target of net-zero emissions by 2060. 

China and the US are the world’s largest users and producers of HFCs and their announcement to implement the Kigali Amendment means that the phase-down of HFCs will be truly global. It also means that global production and use of HFC alternatives will accelerate, benefiting all countries like Australia which is largely dependent on technology developed in other countries for our phase-down.