Replenished Funding, Renewed Ambition

Meeting the Climate Crisis Head-on

This year, 2026, marks an important milestone for the Montreal Protocol. In October, Parties will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Kigali Amendment, the moment which saw the ozone treaty turn decisively to face the climate threat posed by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). As we approach the Kigali celebrations, the 48th meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG48) offers the global community an opportunity to reflect on this successful  example of multilateral environmental cooperation, as well as challenges that remain.

OEWG48 takes place amid a challenging global backdrop marked by economic uncertainty, energy market volatility, fiscal pressures and intensifying climate impacts. These circumstances have increased the implementation challenges faced by many Article 5 (A5) Parties, now approaching the final stages of their HCFC phase-outs, while also facing the first HFC phase-down step in just three years’ time, all while balancing multiple development priorities. At the same time, the growing necessity of climate resilience, which requires both sustainable cooling and improvements in energy efficiency, is further reinforcing the strategic importance of the Kigali Amendment and the broader objectives of the Montreal Protocol.