US industry presses Senate on Kigali ratification
The US Chamber of Commerce, backed by nine other industry bodies, has sent a letter to members of the Senate, urging “expeditious” ratification of the Kigali Amendment.
While 137 signatories of the Montreal Protocol have already ratified the Amendment to phase down HFC refrigerants, the world’s largest economy is yet to ratify, despite being approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in May.
The signatories to the letter, dated September 7, urge the expeditious ratification of the Amendment during the current congress, which ends on January 3, 2023.
The industry bodies, which include the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)`and Heating, Air conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), insist that the Kigali Amendment is “essential to provide access to international markets and level the playing field for leading US manufacturers”.
“The US would join the global community and reap the full economic and environmental benefits associated with phasing down the production and use of HFCs,” the letter states.
“Ratification would safeguard the competitiveness of American manufacturers and showcase American climate leadership. The Kigali Amendment would enhance the significant economic opportunities created by the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act,” it insists.
The signatories of the letter are:
- Alliance for Automotive Innovation
- Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy
- American Chemistry Council
- Air conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute
- Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
- Heating, Air conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International
- National Association of Manufacturers
- Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association
- Semiconductor Industry Association
- US Chamber of Commerce