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Climate Action
News article12 October 2016Directorate-General for Climate Action

Commissioner Arias Cañete in Kigali for crunch talks on global phase-down of climate-warming gases

EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete will be in Kigali, Rwanda, from 13-14 October for crucial negotiations on a global phase-down of climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), used mainly in refrigeration and air...

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EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete will be in Kigali, Rwanda, from 13-14 October for crucial negotiations on a global phase-down of climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), used mainly in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. Countries have agreed that the best way to address these potent greenhouse gases is to bring them within the scope of the Montreal Protocol, which has been successful in eliminating ozone-depleting substances that were used in the same sectors.

Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete said: "We have a golden opportunity to take the first concrete action to deliver on the promises we made in Paris and prevent up to half a degree of warming by the end of the century. We must make the most of this unique chance to make a real difference and agree an ambitious HFC phasedown this week."

Reaching an agreement would be a significant step forward in implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change which following the EU’s ratification, will legally enter into force next month.

The EU is already leading the world in taking action on HFCs, which are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. The EU is pushing for the most ambitious agreement possible and Commissioner Arias Cañete will reach out to all Parties to find a feasible outcome that is satisfactory to all.

In the margins of the meeting, the Commissioner will meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry, as well as high-level representatives from the host Rwanda, Brazil, China, the Gulf States, India, Iran and Pakistan. He will also meet with fellow ministers from the High Ambition Coalition – the alliance of developed and developing countries that helped shape the successful outcome in Paris − to see how together an ambitious outcome can be facilitated.

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Publication date
12 October 2016
Author
Directorate-General for Climate Action