America Must Lead!
FAQs
+
Is the Kigali Amendment an Obama-era climate policy?
No. The Montreal Protocol was first negotiated during the Reagan administration, and first amended in the Bush 41 administration. Furthermore, the policy discussion surrounding next generation technologies started in the Bush 43 administration. There have been four previous amendments to the Montreal Protocol, negotiated by both Republican and Democratic administrations, and ratified by both Republican and Democratic U.S. Senate majorities.
+
How will the Kigali Amendment affect the American economy?
The Kigali Amendment gives American companies an advantage in technology, manufacturing, and investment which will lead to job creation. It will both strengthen America's exports and weaken the market for imported products, while enabling U.S. technology to continue its world leadership role.
The Kigali amendment is projected to increase U.S. manufacturing jobs by 33,000 by 2027, increase exports by $5 billion, reduce imports by nearly $7 billion, and improve the HVACR balance of trade.
With Kigali, U.S. exports will outperform, increasing U.S. share of global market from 7.2% to 9.0%.
Without Kigali ratification, growth opportunities will be lost, along with the jobs to support that growth; the trade deficit will grow, and the U.S. share of global export markets will decline.
+
How does the Kigali Amendment protect consumer costs?
- During technology transitions, manufacturers improve their products' energy efficiency, which in many cases, drives consumer costs down.
- The Kigali Amendment phases down the use of HFCs, which currently contribute less than 1% to the cost of refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Consequently, the cost of substitute refrigerants will be a very small portion of the overall cost of equipment.
- In commercial air conditioning and refrigeration, new product designs also have lower leak rates, reducing the impact on businesses and consumers. New systems can cost approximately 10% more than older systems, but their energy savings typically pay for themselves in two to five years. As such, the new systems have a lower net cost to building owners.
- Without the Kigali Amendment, a patchwork of state regulations could emerge, making the transition more complex, duplicative, and costly for manufacturers and consumers alike. Kigali achieves the same result in a more systematic and gradual approach.
- Finally, the transition from HFCs is a phase-down rather than a phase-out, and does not impact existing equipment. Existing equipment can continue to be serviced with existing fluorocarbons and won't need to be replaced before the end of its useful life.
+
Why is ratification of the Kigali amendment urgent?
U.S. industry is in heated competition with industries from Asia and Europe, who would like to push alternative technologies.
All other developed countries have adopted HFC control programs that are consistent with or, in some cases, even more stringent than Kigali. But, not the United States.
Luckily, American manufacturers have invested hundreds of billions of dollars to innovate and commercialize next generation products, in anticipation of this trend and new market demands.
In developing countries, demand for HVACR products that use alternative technologies is about to take giant leaps, with the projected global market for these technologies over the next decade to be more than $1 trillion.
The urgency is to ensure that American businesses and technologies capture as much of the global market as possible.
+
Who supports the Kigali Amendment?
American manufacturers support the Kigali Amendment, because of the economic benefits it will bring to the United States. In addition to American manufacturers, business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, and Business Roundtable all support ratification of the Kigali Amendment. Over thirty countries have ratified the amendment. America cannot afford to be on the sideline. America must continue to lead. Ratifying the Kigali Amendment will also prevent a patchwork of regulatory actions that will burden U.S. businesses.
In addition to U.S. industry support, both Republicans and Democrats recognize the benefits of global refrigerant policies outlined in the Kigali Amendment, and have for more than 30 years. Five U.S. presidents from both parties have supported the policies outlined in the Montreal Protocol, first negotiated during the Reagan Administration in 1987, which has helped keep the U.S. a global leader in HVACR technologies.
+
What needs to happen for the Kigali Amendment to be implemented?
The President needs to send the Kigali Amendment to the Senate for a resolution of ratification, by which the Senate formally gives its advice and consent by a two-thirds vote, empowering the President to proceed with ratification.
