Pope backs Kigali Amendment

ITALY: Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, has backed the Kigali Amendment to phase down HFC refrigerants.

In a message to this week’s 31st Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Rome, Pope Francis stressed the need for the Kigali Amendment to “quickly gain universal approval on the part of the whole family of nations, as has happened with the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol”.

“In this regard, I am pleased to announce the intention of the Holy See to adhere to the Kigali Amendment,” he said. “With this gesture, the Holy See desires to continue giving its moral support to all those States committed to the care of our common home.”

The Kigali Amendment was adopted by 197 countries in 2016. Under the agreement, countries commit to cut the production and consumption of HFCs by more than 80% over the next 30 years. To date, 88 countries have ratified the agreement.