NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
South Africa ratifies Kigali Amendment!
By Ilana Koegelenberg
O
n 1 August, South Africa
became the 76th country to
ratify the Kigali Amendment to
For non-Article 5 (developed) countries,
this has started this year in 2019 already.
Developed countries will phase-down
the Montreal Protocol, which means their production and imports of HFCs by
that we have officially committed to an 85% between 2019 and 2036.
HFC phase-down, starting 2024.
The Parties to the Montreal Protocol
According to the Kigali amendment,
our baseline years are designated
on Substances that Deplete the Ozone from 2020-2023, where the average
Layer reached agreement at their 28th production and consumption of HFCs
Meeting of the Parties on 15 October in these years must be reported to
2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to phase-down determine out baseline (starting point).
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). It’s important to note that this figure also
HFCs are commonly used alternatives
to ozone depleting substances (ODS).
While not ozone depleting substances
includes 65% of our HCFC baseline for
production and consumption.
The official ‘freeze’ on HFCs happens
in 2024 with a stepped phase-down
which can have high or very high global following to reduce the baseline number.
warming potentials (GWPs), ranging from By 2045, our baseline HFC figure needs to
about 121 to 14 800. be reduced by 80%.
themselves, HFCs are greenhouse gases
The phase-down of HFCs under the
Montreal Protocol has been under
negotiation by the Parties since 2009 and
the successful agreement on the Kigali
Amendment continues the historic legacy
The steps are as follows:
Step
Deadline
Reduction of
baseline
Step 1 2029 10%
Step 2 2035 30%
into force on 1 January 2019, provided Step 3 2040 50%
it is ratified by at least 20 parties to Step 4 2045 80%
of the Montreal Protocol.
The Kigali Amendment would enter
the Montreal Protocol. By this date, 65
Figure 1: Kigali Amendment HFC phase-down schedules. South Africa falls under A5 Group 1
(the blue line).
Africa, up until this year we did not
have the correct import tariff headings
to correctly calculate how much HFC
GETTING INVOLVED
The HCFC stakeholder meeting takes
place quarterly at DEFF where the same
gas was coming into the country. This task team will also be looking at the HFC
has since been rectified. phase-down and our commitments after
The phase-down process will be
countries had ratified, which meant that The South African government is things were going ahead. currently trying to start determining treated similarly to the HCFC phase- reporting to the United Nations (UN)
our baseline and have requested out that is currently underway locally. particularly is now of utmost importance,
industry to submit import and export It’s important to note the difference as is the updating of regulations to comply
South Africa is classified as an Article 5 figures of HFCs to the Department between phase-out-and -down. We are with the Amendment.
developing country, which means we can of Environment, Forestry, and phasing OUT HCFCs to get rid of them start a bit later than the rest – but not quite Fisheries (DAFF). Although we do not completely, whereas HFCs are merely as late as the Group 2 Article 5 countries. manufacture any refrigerants in South being phased DOWN.
SA’S PHASE-DOWN TIMELINE
6
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
ratifying the Kigali Amendment. Regular
These meetings are open to all industry
stakeholders.
Source: UNEP OzonAction
COLD LINK AFRICA •
CLA
OCTOBER 2019