Europe

Romania Ratifies Kigali Amendment, Bringing Ratifications to 98

Romania has ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, becoming the 97th country, plus the European Union (EU), to ratify the global agreement to reduce HFC emissions.

Romania’s ratification came into effect on July 1, 2020, according to the United Nation’s website.

Romania became a member of the EU in 2007, and with the country’s ratification of the Kigali Amendment, there are only three countries in the bloc that haven’t yet ratified — Italy, Malta and Spain.

Romania is the seventh country to ratify in 2020. Mozambique ratified in January; Lebanon in February; North Macedonia in March; and Bangladesh, the Holy See and Sierra Leone all in June.

The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol was enacted by 198 government entities (including the EU) on October 15, 2016. It entered into force on January 1, 2019. Its goal is to achieve at least an 80% reduction in HFC consumption by 2047.

Fully implemented, the amendment would avoid up to 0.4°C (0.7°F) increase in the global temperature by the end of the century, according to UN estimates.

For an in-depth look at the Kigali Amendment, click here.