The Dominican Republic has ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, becoming the 118th country, plus the European Union (EU), to ratify the global agreement to reduce HFC emissions.
The Caribbean island nation’s ratification went into effect on April 14, according to the United Nations website. It joins neighboring Jamaica and Cuba in ratifying the Kigali Amendment.
As part of the Article 5 (developing) countries Group 1, the Dominican Republic is required to freeze HFC production and use in 2024, with an 80% reduction by 2045.
Fully implemented, the Kigali Amendment would avoid up to a 0.4°C (0.7°F) increase in the global temperature by the end of the century, according to UN estimates.
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol was enacted by 197 countries (plus the EU) in October 2016. It entered into force on January 1, 2019. Its goal is to achieve at least an 80% reduction in HFC consumption by 2047.
For an in-depth look at the Kigali Amendment, click here.