UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on countries to ratify and implement the Kigali Amendment as the world marks the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, urging faster action to promote sustainable cooling and protect people and the planet.
In a post on his X account on Wednesday (Sept. 16), Guterres said that as temperatures rise and extreme heat becomes more common, access to cooling saves lives, adding that this need must be met “fairly and sustainably.”
Chemicals used in cooling equipment, including halons, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), have been found to seriously damage the ozone layer and contribute to its depletion.
The Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol established an international framework to protect the ozone layer by controlling and phasing out substances that deplete it. The Kigali Amendment has expanded the Montreal Protocol’s scope by addressing potent greenhouse gases used in cooling systems, helping to support health, food security, livelihoods, and climate resilience.
