AHRI backs Kigali before senate committee

USA: AHRI president and CEO Stephen Yurek has called for the “expeditious” ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol by the US government.

Speaking before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week, Yurek extolled the benefits of the Kigali Amendment, reminded committee members that the amendment had broad, bipartisan support and explained that it would be an economic boon to US manufacturers and a job-creator for American citizens.

The Kigali Amendment was officially submitted for ratification by the US Senate in November, with President Biden stating that the US had sufficient domestic authority to implement obligations under the amendment, including through the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 and the Clean Air Act. 

Committee chairman Senator Bob Menendez recognised that ratification of the Kigali Amendment was necessary for the US to remain competitive and to maximise its engagement with other countries.

“Senate approval of Kigali will help US businesses, including manufacturers in Texas, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, develop and access global markets, and it is necessary so that they don’t get locked out from trade with other parties to the treaty,” he said.

“We have received an outpouring of support for the Kigali Amendment from the business community, including many letters. This includes letters from Walmart, Carrier, Lennox, and others. Industry estimates calculate that ratifying the Kigali Amendment will help increase US exports by $5bn and create 33,000 US manufacturing jobs. In contrast, our exports and export-related jobs are predicted to contract significantly if we fail to do so.”