In 2016, an international agreement was adopted to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning but have high global warming potential. This amendment was added to which existing environmental treaty?
(a) Kyoto Protocol
(b) Paris Agreement
(c) Montreal Protocol
(d) Kigali Agreement

Question

In 2016, an international agreement was adopted to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning but have high global warming potential. This amendment was added to which existing environmental treaty?
(a) Kyoto Protocol
(b) Paris Agreement
(c) Montreal Protocol
(d) Kigali Agreement

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

The agreement adopted in 2016 to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is known as the Kigali Amendment, which is an amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. While the Montreal Protocol was originally designed to phase out ozone-depleting substances like CFCs, the Kigali Amendment specifically addresses HFCs, which do not harm the ozone layer but are potent greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. The amendment was agreed upon in Kigali, Rwanda, hence the name.
● Kyoto Protocol (a) and Paris Agreement (b) deal with broader climate change mitigation but do not specifically focus on HFCs.
● Kigali Agreement (d) is not a separate treaty but rather the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

Environmental Agreements

International Agreement on Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

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M Question 1	⏱ 0
In 2016, an international agreement was adopted to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning but have high global warming potential. This amendment was added to which existing environmental treaty? (a) Kyoto Protocol (b) Paris Agreement (c) Montreal Protocol (d) Kigali Agreement