The 98th meeting of the Executive Committee wrapped up with several landmark decisions that show how the Multilateral Fund keeps evolving. Alongside these, the Committee approved projects and activities for 93 countries, plus one regional and one global programme, worth a combined US $111,321,774.
Three decisions stood out for showing just how current and relevant the Fund remains: the decision to pilot projects to enhance atmospheric monitoring, the decision to implement energy-efficiency revolving-fund projects which will maximize the impact of the Fund together with compliance-driven grant funding, the decision on strategic approaches for the implementation of the Kigali Amendment laying the groundwork for a more comprehensive approach to future Kigali HFC implementation plans (KIP).
Closing the monitoring gap
Atmospheric monitoring helps detect unexpected emissions of substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol, letting countries build their own monitoring capacity, work with scientific institutes worldwide, and hold the whole Montreal Protocol community accountable to its commitments.
In one decision, the Executive Committee set up a US $9,250,000 funding window for three pilot projects to boost regional atmospheric monitoring, brought in the World Meteorological Organization as a new implementing agency, and approved guidelines for rolling out the pilots in selected countries. Alongside this, it approved another US $1,800,000 to keep three atmospheric monitoring stations running, backed by the Vienna Convention General Trust Fund. Small as it is, this funding fills a real gap helping protect the ozone layer and track the phase-down of potent greenhouse gases.
One principal, multiple rounds of impact
Another game-changing decision expands the Fund's reach beyond traditional grant funding, introducing a revolving fund model that reinvests repayments from projects into new ones, so the same pool of money can generate multiple rounds of impact. The approved energy-efficiency projects can lower energy bills while phasing down HFCs and making efficient cooling more affordable, easing pressure on electricity systems and cutting indirect greenhouse-gas emissions along the way.
The Executive Committee approved two energy-efficiency revolving-fund projects: one for Thailand (US $21,935,000) and a multi-national one for Colombia, Ghana, and Jordan (US $22,282,750). Together, they're expected to show that revolving funds can work as a self-sustaining way to keep financing energy-efficiency improvements over time and by linking this to the refrigerant transition already underway in these countries, they'll help expand the benefits from Kigali Amendment implementation.
A strategic vision for Kigali Amendment implementation
The decision on strategic approaches to Kigali implementation signaled a shift toward building a framework for long-term HFC phasedown and market transformation while keeping compliance activities as its focus. The decision points toward strategic thinking on how countries can sustain HFC phasedown, strengthen national cooling sectors, improve energy efficiency, support technicians and businesses, and potentially tap new financing approaches to speed up adoption of climate-friendly technologies. The decision asks for ways to achieve lasting market change through future stages of the KIPs.
High-volume approvals, global impact
The Executive Committee approved 149 projects and activities. These included new and ongoing plans to reduce HCFCs in 26 countries and to phase down HFCs under the Kigali Amendment in 12 countries. The Committee approved pilot projects in 11 countries to support the transition to energy‑efficient, climate- and ozone-friendly replacement technologies, as well as energy‑efficiency projects in the manufacturing sector in two countries, among other projects.
Several of the approved projects involve major investments in large refrigerant-consuming countries, including Brazil, Thailand, Mexico and Indonesia. Together, these initiatives are expected to deliver significant reductions in HCFC and HFC consumption and help accelerate the transition to more energy-efficient technologies.
For more information, please see the meeting report at:
Report of the 98th Meeting of the Executive Committee