Refrigerants and the Kigali Amendment

How refrigerants used in ACs and fridges harm the ozone layer or warm the climate, and how the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment phase them down.

ACs and refrigerators use refrigerants, chemicals that absorb and release heat. Some are harmful to the environment.

The ozone story

In the 1970s and 1980s, scientists found that CFCs, then common refrigerants, were destroying the ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol of 1987 phased them out. It is widely considered one of the most successful environmental agreements.

HFCs and climate

Replacements like HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) don’t harm the ozone layer but are powerful greenhouse gases, many times stronger than CO2.

The Kigali Amendment

In 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda, countries agreed to amend the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs:

Rich countries started cutting first.
India and some other countries agreed to freeze HFC use by 2028 and phase down afterwards.

India ratified the Kigali Amendment in 2021.

Alternatives

Hydrocarbons like propane (R-290), used in some Indian ACs.
HFOs with low climate impact.
Natural refrigerants like ammonia and CO2 in some applications.

Economic effects

Companies must redesign equipment and train technicians.
Phasing down HFCs could avoid a significant amount of global warming by 2100, according to scientific estimates.

Leaks

Much refrigerant escapes through leaks during servicing and disposal. Training technicians and recovering refrigerants reduces harm.

The R-290 AC

An Indian AC maker introduces models using R-290, a natural refrigerant with very low warming impact. With trained technicians handling it safely, it helps cut emissions.

Thinking ozone-safe refrigerants are climate-safe

HFCs protect the ozone layer but are powerful greenhouse gases.

Key takeaways

The 1987 Montreal Protocol phased out ozone-destroying CFCs.
HFCs replaced them but are powerful greenhouse gases.
The 2016 Kigali Amendment phases down HFCs; India freezes use by 2028.
Alternatives like R-290 and leak prevention reduce harm.