Climate philanthropies have set a $100 million funding goal to help countries reduce harmful emissions from air conditioners and other cooling equipment as part of efforts to implement the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

The Kigali Amendment is a 2016 global agreement that requires countries to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), gases commonly used in air conditioners and refrigerators that contribute to global warming. The international agreement set the goal of reducing the production and consumption of HFCs by more than 80 per cent over 30 years.

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The funding was announced on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, September 23, in New York during the launch of the Friends of the Kigali Amendment, a coalition of governments seeking to accelerate action on the 2016 climate agreement.

Rwanda, Brazil and the United Kingdom also presented a new Ministerial Communiqué calling for stronger implementation of the agreement, more energy-efficient cooling systems, better management of refrigerants and increased access to finance and technology.

The $100 million goal, announced by major climate foundations including the Sequoia Climate Foundation, will support efforts to reduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions and expand access to climate-friendly cooling.

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The funding will complement public financing, including support from the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

"At a time when meaningful climate action has never been more urgent, the Kigali Amendment remains one of the clearest opportunities we have to deliver significant results,” Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, Dr Bernadette Arakwiye, said.

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Implementation of the Kigali Amendment could help avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100.

The need for cleaner cooling is expected to grow as global demand for air conditioning rises. Access to efficient cooling is increasingly important for food security, hospitals and health systems, vaccine and medicine preservation, digital infrastructure, productivity and resilience to extreme heat.

The number of air conditioners worldwide is projected to increase from 1.6 billion in 2018 to 5.6 billion by 2050.

"The philanthropic community is mobilizing to support fast action on super pollutants - which account for up to 70% of avoidable warming by 2050 - including making sure we follow the most ambitious and accelerated path for implementing the Kigali Amendment and delivering sustainable, climate-friendly cooling as the world rapidly warms," said Christie Ulman, President of Sequoia Climate Foundation.

Rwanda will host the 38th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP38) in Kigali in November, where members of the new coalition are expected to review progress and discuss further action.