Civil Society Calls for Stronger Funding and Enforcement to Deliver Kigali Amendment’s Climate Promise
By Editorial Team
KIGALI, Rwanda, November 7, 2026 — Civil society organisations have called on governments to strengthen funding, enforcement and monitoring of the Kigali Amendment, warning that gaps in implementation could undermine efforts to curb climate-warming emissions and protect the ozone layer.
The appeal was made at the 38th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP38), where the Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD) and 13 partner organisations from seven countries urged governments to turn their commitments into practical action.
CEJAD Executive Director Griffins Ochieng’ delivered the joint civil society statement during the meeting’s high-level segment, exactly 10 years after countries agreed to the Kigali Amendment in Rwanda.
“Every fraction of a degree of warming matters,” the statement warned, adding that the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment must continue to evolve to address emerging environmental threats.
The Montreal Protocol, ratified by every country in the world, is widely recognised as a major international environmental agreement, with the ozone layer showing signs of recovery. Its Kigali Amendment expanded the treaty’s climate action by requiring the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air-conditioning.
Full implementation of the amendment is expected to prevent up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global warming by 2100.
However, CEJAD and its partners warned that emerging threats, including rising nitrous oxide emissions, very short-lived substances, emissions from fluorochemical production and pollution from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), could weaken the environmental gains made under the treaty.
PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their persistence in the environment, have already been detected in water, sediment and plants along the Nairobi River, according to the statement.
“These threats are invisible, but their harm is not,” Ochieng’ said.
He warned that illegal and mislabelled refrigerants expose technicians to safety risks, while inefficient second-hand cooling equipment increases greenhouse gas emissions and electricity costs.
Ochieng’ said African countries had demonstrated leadership in advancing the Kigali Amendment, including hosting negotiations that led to its adoption and proposing measures to address illegal refrigerant trade.
He called for financial support that matches the continent’s ambition, warning that the health and climate benefits of the amendment could be lost without stronger implementation.
The organisations noted that demand for cooling across Africa is rising amid increasing temperatures and rapid urbanisation, making access to efficient and environmentally sound refrigeration and air-conditioning increasingly important.
A 2020 study by CLASP and the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD) found widespread dumping of low-efficiency air conditioners using obsolete refrigerants in 10 African markets, including Kenya.
At MOP38, the African Group, through Cameroon, tabled a proposal seeking stronger tools to combat illegal refrigerant trade, including effective licensing systems and training for customs and ozone officers.
The civil society organisations identified six priority areas for governments to strengthen implementation of the Kigali Amendment.
They called for adequate and predictable replenishment of the Multilateral Fund for the 2027–2029 period, with funding that responds to the needs of African and other developing countries classified as Article 5 Parties.
They also urged governments to strengthen licensing systems and action against illegal trade, building on the African Group’s proposal, while improving monitoring, reporting and compliance, including measures addressing HFC-23 emissions and regional monitoring gaps.
Other priorities include environmentally sound management of refrigerants throughout their lifecycle, from recovery to destruction, and targeted capacity-building support for technicians and customs officers to help developing countries meet their commitments.
The organisations further called for action on emerging environmental threats, including nitrous oxide, very short-lived substances, emissions from fluorochemical production and PFAS pollution.
They said stronger financing, enforcement and technical capacity would be essential to ensuring that the Kigali Amendment delivers lasting climate and environmental benefits, particularly for countries facing growing demand for cooling.
