Albania steps up fight against climate change
Albania has ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. It will reduce use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases used mainly in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment, which are thousands of times more harmful to the climate than CO2. The Kigali Amendment, which entered into force in January 2019, amends the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to include substances – including hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) – which do not damage the ozone layer but are known to have high global warming potential.
“The Kigali Amendment is a new way of dealing with global environmental issues,’’ explained Fukuya Iino, Industrial Development Officer at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which helped the Albanian authorities prepare for the phasedown of HFC use. “Albania’s ratification shows that the country is proactively committed to addressing future problems by preventing an increase in the use of HFCs and promoting the use of climate-friendly alternatives.”
By phasing down the use of HFCs, the Kigali Amendment aims to avoid an increase in global atmospheric temperature of 0.5°C by the end of the century.
The Kigali Amendment is in line with the Albania’s national strategies, which aim to contribute to the protection of the environment and to tackle climate change. The ratification process was facilitated by the previous implementation of targeted activities by the National Ozone Unit (NOU) as well as by several projects supported by UNIDO which have helped prepare legislation and institutional assessments, convened high-level meetings, and created a platform for knowledge sharing among key national stakeholders.
The ratification of the Kigali Amendment paves the road for Albania to set its HFCs baseline, freeze its consumption amount, and establish a schedule for phase-down of HFCs. This will provide Albanian importers and users of HFCs with more business stability, giving them an opportunity to prepare for the changes that will be coming to the international market once the Amendment’s provisions to prohibit trade with non-parties enter into force in 2033.
“Blendi Klosi, the Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania played a pivotal role in the ratification process,” said Mimoza Vokshi, National Ozone Officer, while underlining the essential contribution of all stakeholders involved, including UNIDO and UN Environment.